INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bribery and Corruption

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the incorporation into UK legislation of the OECD convention on bribery and corruption.

David Blunkett: I have been asked to reply.
	The United Kingdom ratified the Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) convention in December 1998 and a review of its legislation was published by the OECD in 2000. The Government's White Paper "Raising Standards and Upholding Integrity: the Prevention of Corruption", issued in June 2000 (Cm 4759), took account of that review and made two major proposals which reflect OECD recommendations:
	to put beyond doubt that the law of bribery applies to acts involving foreign public officials, Ministers, MPs and judges; and
	to take jurisdiction over crimes of bribery committed by United Kingdom nationals and United Kingdom companies overseas.
	International corruption contributes to the conditions which breed terrorism. I am, therefore, with the support of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development, including these measures in the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill, which will be introduced shortly.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft her Department recorded in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; and on how many occasions in those years computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (A) within and (B) outside her Department.

Clare Short: There were no reported cases of either computer hacking or computer fraud in DFID during 2000 to 2001.
	In 2000, four cases of laptop computers being stolen from DFID premises or personnel were reported, and in 2001 five laptop computers were reported stolen. The total value of the loss amounts to about £9,900.
	DFID is not aware of any occasions during the last two years of computer systems being accessed illegally by hackers from either inside or outside of the organisation.

Departmental Expenditure

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total expenditure was on (a) advertising, (b) polling, (c) focus groups, (d) design consultants, (e) caterers, (f) production of departmental publications and (g) photographs/photographers by her Department for each year since 1995 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms; what was (A) the annual percentage increase in spending on each category and (B) spending on each category as a percentage of the total departmental running costs; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: Expenditure in relation to publications, opinion polling and photography in the years in question is as follows:
	
		£000 
		
			  Publications(1) Opinion polling Photography 
		
		
			 1995–96 352 — 4 
			 1996–97 318 — 4 
			 1997–98 166 43 21 
			 1998–99 347 — 23 
			 1999–2000 570 45 10 
			 2000–01 639 58 5 
		
	
	(1) Including design costs
	We do not hold a separate advertising budget. However the bulk of our advertising is in relation to recruitment, on which we spend around £1 million to £1.2 million per year.
	It would involve disproportionate effort to calculate the total cost of catering services in the years in question since these are not charged to a single budget.The majority of the expenditure set out in the table is charged to programme budgets, and so it is not possible to make a meaningful calculation of its share of our running cost budget.

TRIPS

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her policy on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made on 7 November 2001, Official Report, columns 256–68, covering the UK's position on the fourth ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Doha, which covered our policy on trade-related aspectsof intellectual property.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of (a) military and (b) civilian casualties as a result of coalition forces bombing in Afghanistan.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 30 October 2001
	It is impossible to know for certain how many casualties, either military or civilian, there have been as a result of coalition action in Afghanistan. The Taliban's claims of casualties cannot be taken at face value.
	Military action inevitably carries risks, but as I have made clear in the House, our targeting and weapons selection processes are rigorous. Every effort is made to avoid civilian casualties.

HMS Ocean

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason HMS Ocean has been recalled to the UK; if it is being sent to Devonport for repair; what the (a) nature and (b) cost is of the repair; and to what extent the repair is (i) planned maintenance and (ii) a consequence of failure while on its last operation.

Adam Ingram: HMS Ocean is returning to the UK as part of the drawdown of forces following completion of Exercise Saif Sareea 2.
	Due to current operational circumstances, the docking period planned for January next year has been deferred. HMS Ocean will, instead, return to Devonport for a shorter assisted maintenance period (AMP), during which some maintenance and defect rectification work will be carried out. The only repair work arising from failure during her last operation will be to some aviation fuel pumps. At this time it is estimated that the AMP will cost in the region of £0.8 million to £1 million.

Army Radios

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the failure rate was of Clansman radios on Challenger II main battle tanks during exercise Saif Sareea 2 in Oman;
	(2)  what the failure rate was of army radios during Exercise Saif Sareea 2 in Oman; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 7 November 2001
	The limitations of the Clansman radio are well known, hence the current action on procuring a replacement. Information on failure rates of individual radios employed during Exercise Saif Sareea 2 is not available. But indications are that Clansman performed somewhat better than we might have expected during Saif Sareea 2, despite the harsh environmental conditions experienced during the exercise.

Sea Harrier Ferry

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Sea Harrier ferry will leave Yeovilton; what discussions he has had with the RAF Association about the move; what the overall cost of the move will be; and how many Sea Harrier pilots resigned their commissions in (a) 2001, (b), 2000, (c) 1999, (d) 1998, (e), 1997 and (f) 1996.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 8 November 2001
	Following the strategic defence review, the Sea Harrier force is scheduled to relocate to RAF Cottesmore and RAF Wittering in the second half of 2003. The Ministry of Defence has had no discussions with the RAF Association about the move. The cost of the move is estimated to be approximately £21.5 million. The number of Sea Harrier pilots who have taken premature voluntary retirement (PVR) are set out in the table:
	
		
			  Year Premature Voluntary Retirement (PVR) 
		
		
			 1996 5 
			 1997 2 
			 1998 2 
			 1999 6 
			 2000 4 
			 2001 4

NBC Defence

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what types of vehicles are used by the armed forces in connection with NBC defence; and of these, how many are operational.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 8 November 2001
	There are three types of vehicles currently in use by the armed forces that have a specific NBC defence role. The current vehicle holdings are as follows:
	
		
			 Vehicle type Vehicles held 
		
		
			 FUCHS NBC survey vehicle 11 
			 Prototype biological detection system (PBDS) 9 
			 Multi-purpose decontamination system (MPDS) 17 
		
	
	There are other, mainly armoured, vehicles that have a defensive NBC capability. Soldiers can operate within these vehicles in a "collective protection" environment thus avoiding exposure to external biological or chemical threats for a set period of time.
	I am withholding the information relating to operational availability under exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to government information.

Drug Testing

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 662W, on drug testing, if he will make a statement about the actions that follow when a service man or woman tests positive to a compulsory drugs test.

Adam Ingram: Each compulsory drug test case is treated on its own merits and the individual concerned may make a representation about the circumstances surrounding the positive result. If it is concluded that the individual misused drugs knowingly, he or she would normally be discharged unless there were exceptional grounds for retention.

Drug Testing

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of compulsory drugs tests in the armed forces were positive in 2000.

Adam Ingram: The percentage of compulsory drugs tests in the armed forces that were positive in 2000 were:
	
		
			 Service Percentage 
		
		
			 Royal Navy 0.36 
			 Army 0.52 
			 Royal Air Force 0.12

Ballistic Missiles

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer on ballistic missiles on 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 129W, if he will place a copy of his draft international code of conduct on ballistic missiles in the Library.

Geoff Hoon: Yes.

Military Maritime Graves

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions have been drawn on the consultation process into the protection of wrecked military vessels, with special reference to military maritime graves.

Lewis Moonie: The consultation process on the protection of military vessels, in particular, military maritime graves, ended in August. Following that consultation process it was decided that a small number of wrecks within UK jurisdiction, which are representative of all those lost, will be designated as controlled sites. This means that any activity within a controlled area will require a licence. All other military vessels which meet the criteria as set out in the consultation document, including those in international waters, will be designated as protected places. Those who contributed to the consultation process have been informed of this. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.

September 11 (Financial Consequences)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will itemise the additional direct current financial year costs arising from decisions in response to the events of 11 September; and if they will be met from the existing defence budget.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 114W, to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker).

Apache Helicopter

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what formations will be responsible for securing the logistical echelon for the Apache helicopter; and if he will make a statement regarding US studies of this matter in Kosovo.

Adam Ingram: The Apache helicopter will be deployed as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, the UK Army's Air Manoeuvre Formation. Responsibility for protecting units in support of Apache operations will fall to the operational commander. The composition of 16 Air Assault Brigade includes Infantry and Air Defence units, both of which may be used for this purpose.
	We always maintain close liaison between US and UK forces. Lessons learned from operations are studied and refinements, where necessary, are made to the way our armed forces operate. Specific lessons learned from US Apache operations in Kosovo are being considered and, where appropriate, used to refine the British Army's doctrine and operating procedures for the training and deployment of Air Manoeuvre units.

Service Personnel (Sex Discrimination)

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 is applicable to service personnel serving on sovereign bases overseas.

Adam Ingram: The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate on sex grounds against an employee in relation to employment at an establishment in Great Britain. In this context sovereign bases do not form part of the territory of Great Britain.
	Sections 6 and 10 of the Sex Discrimination Act provide that employment will be regarded as being at an establishment in Great Britain unless the employee does his work wholly outside Great Britain.

Balkans

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what security is offered to UK forces in the Balkans to protect them from possible asymmetric assault.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 8 November 2001
	Appropriate measures are in place to protect all deployed UK forces. These measures are kept under constant review in order to respond to emerging situations on the ground, but are not made public for reasons of operational security.

Air Traffic Control (West Freugh)

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) military and (b) civil air traffic control movements have been handled by the air traffic control centre at MOD West Freugh, Wigtownshire, in each of the last five years.

Adam Ingram: The total air traffic control movements are set out in the table:
	
		
			  Total movements 
		
		
			 1997 11,640 
			 1998 11,844 
			 1999 8,388 
			 2000 5,976 
			 2001(2) 3,540 
		
	
	(2) To date
	The split between military and civil movements over the last five years is not available as the information is not held in the form requested. It should be noted, however, that civilian flights make up only a small portion of the overall number of movements at the airfield each year.

No-fly Zones

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has taken to provide for the enforcement of no-fly zones around nuclear power stations.

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are being taken to enforce no-fly zones around nuclear installations.

Adam Ingram: Security of nuclear installations is a matter for the Department of Trade and Industry. The Royal Air Force has an established and well-practised air defence capability which is ready to detect, deter or destroy aircraft intending to attack any target within the UK, including nuclear installations. Adjustments have been made to our air defence posture since 11 September, but, for obvious reasons, I do not propose to go into detail on the nature of these changes.

Charm 3

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what stocks of the armour piercing Charm 3 round are held.

Adam Ingram: Charm 3 is the armour piercing round fired by the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank. Information relating to the stock levels of operational ammunition are withheld under exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to Government information.

Exercise Saif Sareea 2

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if local overseas allowances were made available to all personnel in Exercise Saif Sareea 2;
	(2)  if concessions were offered in lieu of local allowances overseas in Exercise Saif Sareea 2; and what these concessions were;
	(3)  how many of the personnel in Exercise Saif Sareea 2 who were entitled to local overseas allowances or concessions in lieu received them; how many did not and to what units they belonged.

Adam Ingram: Personnel deploying on Exercise Saif Sareea 2 were not entitled to Local Overseas Allowances (LOA) or to concessions in lieu of them. Although neither a concession nor a substitute for LOA, a comprehensive Operational Welfare package was made available to deployed personnel. This was in accordance with my predecessor's announcement on 19 March 2001, Official Report, column 12, which covered the welfare arrangements for exercises lasting for two months or more. The package included shower and laundry facilities, 20 minutes of free telephone calls a week, access to free electronic aerograms and free e-mail, television, videos, DVDs, newspapers, books, sports equipment and a Combined Service Entertainment show.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Cold Weather Payments

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans the Government have to review the eligibility criteria for pensioners' cold weather payments.

Malcolm Wicks: Cold weather payments provide extra help towards heating costs for the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society in periods of exceptionally cold weather. Pensioners on low incomes are not the only people to benefit from the payments. They are also paid to people receiving income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance who have children under the age of five or who have a premium for disability or long-term sickness. We have no plans to change the eligibility conditions.

Christmas Bonus

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans the Government have to increase the pensioners' Christmas bonus.

Ian McCartney: We have no plans to increase the level of the Christmas bonus.

Winter Fuel Payments

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans the Government have to review the eligibility criteria for pensioners' winter fuel payments.

Ian McCartney: There are no plans to change the existing regulations.

Disability Living Allowance

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what response he has sent to the RNID report "Can't Hear, Can't Benefit" in relation to take-up of disability living allowance by people who are deaf or have hearing difficulties.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 31 October 2001
	We have noted the issues and concerns raised by the RNID in this report. On 19 October, the president of the Appeals Service and a number of senior officials from the Department for Work and Pensions attended by invitation the RNID's "Breaking The Sound Barrier" Conference. They took part in a session on the "Can't Hear, Can't Benefit" report, and discussed many aspects of it with delegates, including the question of DLA take-up.

Benefits

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what his latest estimate is of expenditure during the financial year 2001–02 on working families tax credit; and what expenditure was on (a) family income supplement and (b) family credit during their final years of operation at (i) current prices and (ii) 2001 prices;
	(2)  how many households are in receipt of working families tax credit; what the take-up rate is; and what the take-up rate was of (a) family income supplement and (b) family credit, in their (i) first and (ii) final years of operation.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The number of families in receipt of working families tax credit (WFTC) is published in the WFTC Quarterly Enquiries, copies of which are in the Library.
	Estimating the take-up rate for working families tax credit requires, among other things, detailed household survey data for 2000–01. These are not yet available for analysis.
	Estimates of take up rates for income-related benefits for Great Britain are published in the annual statistical series "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up", which is available in the House of Commons Library. Family income supplement (FIS) was introduced in 1971. Estimates of its take-up rate for 1986 and 1987 are available in the 1987 publication, combined with selected earlier combined years back to 1974–75. FIS was replaced by family credit in 1988. Estimates of its take-up rate in 1988 and 1989 were published in the 1989 edition. Estimates for the final year of family credit were published in the 1998–99 edition.
	Table C14 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report contains projections of expenditure on the working families tax credit (WFTC) and disabled person's tax credit made at the time of the Budget, including for 2001–02. Approximately 94 per cent. relates to expenditure on WFTC in Great Britain.
	I understand from the Department for Work and Pensions that expenditure on family income supplement in 1987–88 and expenditure on family credit in 1998–99, both in Great Britain, can be found on their website, www.dss.gov.uk/asd/asd4/Expenditure.htm, tables 8 and 9. There are various ways of converting these amounts to constant prices, including adjusting for movements in the gross domestic product deflator, which is published by the Office for National Statistics.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Higher Education Lecturers

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average starting pay for higher education lecturers was in each year of the last 10 years.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not held centrally. Available figures from the Universities and Colleges Association for the minimum pay of lecturers, senior lecturers and principal lecturers in the pre-1992 universities and in the post-1992 universities and colleges are shown in the following table. However, starting salaries do not necessarily equate with minimum pay, and not all appointments are made to the Lecturer and Lecturer A scales.
	
		Minimum pay for lecturers, senior lecturers and principal lecturers in pre and post-1992 universities and colleges
		
			   £ per annum  
			  Pre-1992 Post-1992  
			  Lecturer A Lecturer B Senior Lecturer Lecturer Senior Lecturer Principal Lecturer 
		
		
			 1992 13,400 19,352 25,969 10,902 19,755 23,841 
			 1993 13,601 19,642 26,359 11,067 20,052 24,189 
			 1994 14,756 20,133 27,018 12,756 20,553 24,804 
			 1995 15,154 20,677 27,747 13,100 20,381 25,474 
			 1996 15,593 22,143 29,464 13,480 21,720 26,213 
			 1997 16,045 21,894 30,318 13,871 22,350 26,973 
			 1998 16,045 22,332 30,924 14,148 22,797 27,512 
			 1999 18,185 23,521 31,563 14,398 23,199 27,998 
			 2000 19,482 24,227 32,510 18,769 23,880 29,847 
			 2001 20,066 24,954 33,485 19,191 24,417 30,519 
			 2002 20,470 25,455 34,158 19,575 24,906 —

Teacher Recruitment and Retention

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of the impact of the local cost of living on teacher recruitment and retention.

Stephen Timms: These factors are under constant review as part of our on-going interest in teacher recruitment and retention. They are also kept under review by the School Teacher's Review Body, which makes recommendations to the Government on school teachers' pay and conditions. London area allowances increased by 30 per cent. in April this year, and schools have wide discretion to pay recruitment and retention allowances.
	We are aware of the effect that high accommodation costs, especially in the south-east of England, has on the recruitment and retention of teachers. To help develop a solution, last year, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, in what was then the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, set out policies on home ownership, including proposals for a new initiative to help certain key public sector workers, including teachers, into low cost home ownership. The Government recently announced details of the starter home initiative, funded by £250 million over the years 2001–02 to 2003–04. This scheme will benefit over 10,000 key public sector workers, including 3,500 teachers, helping them to buy homes in urban and rural areas where high prices would otherwise prevent them from living in or near to the communities they serve. Registered landlords, local authorities and other interested parties were invited to bid for a share of this funding.

Teachers (Early Leavers)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many qualified teachers left the profession, having completed between three and seven years of service in (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 8 November 2001
	About 6,200 qualified full and part-time regular teachers (headcount), who had completed at least three but less than seven years service, left the maintained schools sector in England in 1999–2000, the most recent year for which data are available. The figures exclude 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. of part-time teachers not included on the Teacher Pension Scheme records. Some teachers who left service will return after a career break.

Parental Choice (Siblings)

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance is given to education authorities on the rights (a) parents and (b) step-parents have to send their children to the same school as older siblings.

Stephen Timms: None. Local education authorities are responsible for setting and publishing the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools, following local consultation each year. These arrangements must include the criteria for allocating places if a school is oversubscribed. There is no requirement for local authorities to use sibling links as an admission criterion, although many choose to do so, deciding their own definition of 'sibling'.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Social Exclusion Unit

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what work the social exclusion unit has carried out in relation to child homelessness.

Barbara Roche: The Prime Minister has asked the social exclusion unit to make recommendations to reduce the number of young people running away and ensure that runaways' short and long term needs are met. Approximately 129,000 young people run away each year and one quarter sleep rough. Running away is also a strong predictor of later homelessness. The project will report its recommendations to the Ministerial Committee on Children and Young People at the end of the year.
	The social exclusion unit report on rough sleeping published in 1998 found that there were very few rough sleepers aged under 18. None the less, it identified a range of measures specifically aimed at young people. Many of these have now been taken forward by the rough sleepers unit, set up in April 1999 as a result of the SEU report. Examples of this have been work on the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and the setting up, in partnership with the Department of Health and funded by the National Children's Bureau, of a 'Care Leaving Support Service'.
	In addition, part of the SEU report on the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal—the Policy Action Team 12 on Young People—looked at how Government could improve co-ordination of policies affecting children and young people and improve services, developing them to help prevent social exclusion. This led to the establishment of the children and young peoples unit in July 2000, based in the Department for Education and Skills. This unit supports cross-Government work on child poverty and youth disadvantage, looking across the full 0 to 19 age range, and is also responsible for implementing and managing the children's fund.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Code of Practice (Retailing)

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what meetings her Department's officials and Ministers have had since March about drawing up the code of practice for retailers' behaviour in relation to their suppliers; what the dates of meetings with external organisations and companies were; and who attended the meetings;
	(2)  when the latest version of the draft code of practice for retailers' behaviour in relation to their suppliers will be circulated for consultation; to which organisations and companies it will be sent for comment; and if she will place a copy in the Library.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The Director General of Fair Trading consulted with the major supermarkets and over 100 representatives of suppliers on the drafting of the code of practice on supermarkets' relations with their suppliers earlier this year.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 31 October that she had accepted the Director General's advice on the code and had asked him to seek to obtain undertakings from the four leading supermarket chains to comply with the code. Copies of her announcement and the code have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	Ministers and officials at the Department of Trade and Industry have had no meetings since March with interested parties about drawing up the code of practice on supermarkets' relations with their suppliers.
	The Director General of Fair Trading was given responsibility for drawing up the code.

Stop Now Orders

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what guidance and training has been given to trading standards officers to enable them to implement Stop Now Orders; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many Stop Now Orders have been issued since June; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what extra resources have been given to local authorities to enable trading standards departments to implement Stop Now Orders; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Stop Now Orders require traders to cease conduct which is contrary to a wide range of consumer protection legislation and harms the collective interests of consumers. The Orders were introduced in June of this year.
	Two local authorities have secured written undertakings under the regulations, and other cases are under consideration.
	DTI has agreed with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales a transfer of resources to cover the additional costs associated with the enforcement of the Stop Now Order Regulations.
	DTI has also funded a series of seminars to train trading standards officers in the legal and administrative requirements of the regulations. Six events were held across the country during September and October.

Legal Profession

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements have been made to consult on the OFT report on the legal profession; how many representations have been received (a) in support and (b) against the OFT recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: No final arrangements have yet been made to consult on the OFT report. The Government remain committed to ensure that the professions are properly subject to competition.

Patents (Genetically Engineered Animals)

Bill Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what UK patents relating to genetically engineered animals and processes for creating such animals have been (a) applied for and published since 9 July 1999 and (b) granted since 28 July 2000.

Melanie Johnson: Since 9 July 2000, 17 UK patents relating to genetically engineered animals and processes for creating them have been applied for and published. These were GB 2358865 A, GB 2358400 A, GB 2357768 A, GB 2355718 A, GB 2355459 A, GB 2353282 A, GB 2351496 A, GB 2351494 A, GB 2351152 A, GB 2350613 A, GB 2349885 A, GB 2349150 A, GB 2348701 A, GB 2344344 A, GB 2344107 A, GB 2340493 A and GB 2337519 A.
	Since 28 July 2000 there have been 10 UK patents granted relating to genetically engineered animals and processes for creating them. These were GB 2351496 B, GB 2351494 B, GB 2351152 B, GB 2349150 B, GB 2348701 B, GB 2344344 B, GB 2344107 B, GB 2335193 B, GB 2331752 B and GB 2331301 B.
	This information does not include applications filed at the European Patent Office which may have the effect of UK patents if granted by that office.

Fireworks

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action her Department is taking to ensure that fireworks are not sold to those under the age of 18 years.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 prohibit the supply of most fireworks to persons under the age of 18 years. The exceptions to this prohibition are low hazard fireworks, that is caps, cracker snaps, novelty matches and party poppers, which, under the Explosives Act 1875 can be sold to persons over the age of 16 years. We provide information to consumers and retailers reminding them of these restrictions. We also work closely with local authority trading standards departments whose responsibility enforcement is.

Fireworks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have to review the law on the sale of fireworks; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 8 November 2001
	The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 introduced new controls on the types and sizes of fireworks which can be sold to the public. The situation regarding firework safety continues to be carefully monitored.

South West Regional Development Agency

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much public money the South West Regional Development Agency has received in each of the last three years.

Alan Johnson: The South West Regional Development Agency received grant in aid of 344,514,000 in 1999–2000, £62,951,000 in 2000–01 and has a grant in aid allocation of £84,663,000 in 2001–02.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Correspondence

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letters of the hon. Member for West Derbyshire dated 18 July and 20 September, concerning the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment replied to the hon. Member's letter on 18 October 2001.

Correspondence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of correspondence received by her Department from hon. Members did not receive a substantive response within (a) one month, (b) two months, (c) three months, (d) four months, (e) five months and (f) six months in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 25 October 2001
	The specific information sought by the hon. Member in relation to DEFRA could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, since the creation of DEFRA in June 2001 to the end of October the average length of time taken for the Department to provide replies to letters from hon. Members was 29 working days. Although this is longer than the departmental target of 15 working days we are working hard to ensure that this record is improved and the target met. The Department has suffered severe disruption due to allocating top priority to defeating the foot and mouth epidemic. I accept this is not an excuse for not giving hon. Members good service, and now that normality is returning to the Department one of our urgent priorities is to rectify any weakness in our service delivery.

Correspondence

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 6 August from the hon. Member for North Shropshire concerning the extension to the burning of cattle at Sleap, Shropshire.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 6 November 2001
	I replied to the letter from the hon. Member for North Shropshire on 7 November 2001.

Correspondence

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when she will reply to the letter of 26 June from the hon. Member for North Shropshire concerning his constituent Mr. Michael Hendry;
	(2)  when she will reply to the letter of 12 August from the hon. Member for North Shropshire regarding the access inquiries into foot and mouth will have to confidential documents;
	(3)  when she will reply to the letter of 6 August from the hon. Member for North Shropshire concerning his constituent, Piers Bratton.

Elliot Morley: holding answers 6 November 2001
	I replied to the letters from the hon. Member on 7 November 2001.

Correspondence

Gillian Shephard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 5 September from the right hon. Member for South-West Norfolk (Mrs. Shephard), on the creation of a large disposal site in Norfolk.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 8 November 2001
	I replied to the right hon. Member on 7 November 2001.

Foot and Mouth

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has taken to identify the source of foot and mouth imported into the United Kingdom.

Elliot Morley: A great deal of epidemiological research has been conducted into the origins of this outbreak. The current epidemic has been caused by a specific strain of the foot and mouth virus (PanAsian Strain O) which has occurred in a number of countries around the world. The precise means of introduction of the virus is unknown and subject to continuing investigations, but is most likely to have been introduced in illegally imported meat or meat products. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the specific question of the source or sources of the outbreak until all investigations are complete.

Foot and Mouth

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what basis she formulated her policy on implementing a public and independent inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreak.

Elliot Morley: The Government have already announced the independent "Lessons Learned" inquiry chaired by Dr. Iain Anderson and the Royal Society Study chaired by Sir Brian Follett, along with the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food chaired by Sir Don Curry.
	We are satisfied that these two inquiries and the Policy Commission will provide rigorous investigation of the issues in the foot and mouth outbreak and will allow us to identify the best wary forward, quickly and efficiently and that this approach is in the best interests of the public.

Foot and Mouth

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the contribution that livestock markets made to the spread of FMD infection.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 2 November 2001
	Prior to 23 February 2001, infected sheep are known to have been traded through a number of markets in England and Wales resulting in the initial dissemination of disease to farms, dealers and slaughterhouses. Epidemiological investigations indicate that potentially infected sheep passed through six auction markets between 13 and 23 February. Investigations into the role of other markets have not been conclusive but are continuing.

Chemicals Charter

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress he has made on adopting the regulations based on the Copenhagen charter on safer chemicals.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 23 October 2001
	The Copenhagen charter is a set of principles that a group of European environment and consumer organisations believe should form part of a new European Union chemicals policy. The UK is working to ensure that the regulations which implement the EU Strategy achieve the improvements in protection of people and the environment that the Copenhagen charter seeks.
	While the Government support the aims of the charter, we do have reservations about the practicality of some of its proposals. For example, we believe that a system which involved approving all uses of all chemicals should not delay action on the chemicals of most concern. The charter also does not take into account other issues that are important to the UK, such as the need to minimise the extra animal testing that will result from the EU Strategy.
	The UK and other EU member states agreed a set of conclusions at the Environment Council in June which incorporated many of the elements of the Copenhagen charter. A copy of the Environment Council conclusions is available in the Library of the House.

River Management

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of arrangements made by British Waterways to manage flood control on its rivers; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: Where appropriate the Environment Agency has agreements in place with British Waterways on the operation of the latter's navigation infrastructure for flood control purposes. I understand that these arrangements have operated satisfactorily.

River Management

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish data on volatility and volumetric flows on rivers managed by (a) British Waterways and (b) the Environment Agency.

Michael Meacher: This information is not collected by this Department but comprehensive information on river flows is published by the centre for Ecology and Hydrology (formerly the Institute of Hydrology and British Geological Survey) in their publication "Hydrological Data UK: Hydrometric Register and Statistics 1991–95". Information covering the period 1996–2000 will be published next year.

Farm Plastics Waste

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has to introduce a compulsory system for dealing with the issue of waste non-packaging farm plastics.

Michael Meacher: We will be addressing the question of how to deal with waste non-packaging farm plastics in the forthcoming consultation document on agricultural waste. We will consider whether a statutory scheme should be introduced in the light of responses to this consultation exercise.

Hunting

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of damage to livestock by fox predation during the suspension of hunting with dogs due to foot and mouth disease; what account has been taken of this in the determination of the time scale for the publication of the Veterinary Risk Assessment report on hunting; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The Department has received no evidence of such consequences from the suspension of hunting. Consideration of the time scale for resumption of hunting is based entirely on the veterinary risk assessment and how best to help the countryside return to normal while doing all we can to eradicate foot and mouth disease.

Organic Farming

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial help she gives to farmers who wish to switch to organic production.

Elliot Morley: Aid is available under the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS), which is part of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP), to help farmers convert to organic farming. 140 million has been committed to funding the OFS over the life of the ERDP.
	Aid under the OFS is paid over five years according to the category of land being converted. The rates of aid are as follows:
	
		 per hectare 
		
			  Land eligible for arable area payments and land in permanent crops Other improved land Unimproved land 
		
		
			 Year 1 225 175 25 
			 Year 2 135 105 10 
			 Year 3 50 40 5 
			 Year 4 20 15 5 
			 Year 5 20 15 5 
			  
			 Total 450 350 50 
		
	
	In addition, each organic unit being converted under the OFS is eligible for payments totalling 600 towards the initial cost of advice and training.
	As well as financial assistance for conversion, we also provide other support, for example, through the Department's R and D programme, which includes a large component dealing with research on organic farming, and through the provision of free advice to prospective organic farmers by the Organic Conversion Information Service (OCIS).

EU Enlargement

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterparts in central and eastern Europe concerning the effect of enlargement of the European Union on agriculture in the United Kingdom.

Elliot Morley: So far this year, my ministerial colleagues and I have had meetings with our counterparts from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania. Over the next few months we hope to build on these, and to have dialogue with our counterparts in Hungary and Estonia.

Regional Office (Exeter)

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the complement of staff working at her Department's regional office at Exeter was on (a) 1 November 2001 and (b) 1 August 2001.

Elliot Morley: Two parts of the Department operate from Clyst House, Exeter: namely the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) and the Foot and Mouth Disease Office.
	The RPA office at Exeter had 395 staff on 1 August 2001 and 429 staff on 1 November 2001. The staff numbers were increased over this period to deal with work that was transferred to Exeter from RPA offices at Bristol, Worcester and Reading.
	Precise figures for the number of staff at the Foot and Mouth Disease Office at Exeter on the dates specified are unavailable. However, the number of staff was broadly unchanged over the period in question at around 300, approximately two thirds of whom were casual appointments.

Fishing Industry

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will provide aid for the English fishing industry in similar terms to that operated in Scotland.

Elliot Morley: Grant aid is available in England for similar schemes to those available in Scotland, under the terms of the EU Structural Fund for fisheries including grant for decommissioning fishing vessels.

Countryside Stewardship Schemes

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase the area of farmed land subject to Countryside Stewardship schemes.

Elliot Morley: Our plans for a major expansion of the Countryside Stewardship budget are well known. As part of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP), expenditure on agri-environment schemes is scheduled to increase from 119 million this year to 197 million in 200607. From the total ERDP budget of 1.6 billion, 500 million has been allocated to the Countryside Stewardship Scheme over the period. As a result, each year we will be accepting roughly double the number of applications compared to 1999 and we expect to add over half a million hectares of land to that already covered by the scheme (currently about a quarter of a million hectares) over the last 10 years.

BSE and Scrapie

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to publish scientific advice to Ministers relating to BSE and scrapie.

Elliot Morley: In all matters relating to BSE and scrapie, the Government have been open and transparent. We will continue to put scientific advice to Government in the public domain, encouraging a culture of openness, trusting the public and stimulating informed public debate. To this end the Government's advisory committee on BSE matters (the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC)) publishes summaries of all its meetings. These aim to explain the reasoning behind SEAC advice.

Southern Water Supplies

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will conduct an inquiry into Southern Water Services Ltd. supplies to Fulston Manor and Higham grammar schools since November 1999.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Any customer who has a complaint against a water undertaker should refer it to the Ofwat Customer Services Committee for the appropriate region, although I understand that the problems at Fulston Manor and Higham grammar schools relate not to the supply of water to the premises by Southern Water, but to pipes within the premises, which are the responsibility of the customer.

Domestic Refrigerators

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to encourage environmentally friendly disposal of domestic refrigerators; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The disposal of domestic refrigerators is subject to waste management controls, under Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which are designed to prevent harm to human health and the environment. From 1 January 2002, the EC Regulation on Ozone Depletion Substances will require controlled substances (including CFCs) in coolants and in insulating foam to be removed before recycling or reclamation of domestic refrigerator units. The Department will finalise shortly guidance on CFC extraction plant and guidance on the storage of waste refrigeration equipment, prior to CFC extraction.

Livestock Movements

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial assistance she makes available for livestock movements; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The current foot and mouth disease movement controls require that all animals to be moved are inspected by a local veterinary inspector (LVI). These veterinary inspections are carried out at DEFRA's expense.

Movement Licences

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what investigation she has made into the operation of the single occupancy movement licences scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 5 November 2001
	Sole occupancy movement licences were introduced on 8 October to provide for the regular movement of livestock between premises in the same ownership and occupation within a maximum diameter of 20.0 kms. Licences are issued under the authority of the divisional veterinary manager only after an assessment by a local veterinary inspector. These arrangements were welcomed by the industry and demand for licences was high in the first month of operation. After some initial delays applications are being processed within four to five days and often more quickly.

Flooding

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much public money was spent on flood (a) defences and (b) prevention measures in the last 12 months, brokendown by (i) county, (ii) local authority and (iii) in London.

Elliot Morley: Information is not collected in the format requested and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Flooding

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much public money has been spent on flood warning systems in the last 12 months.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency is responsible for flood forecasting and dissemination of warnings in England. I understand the Agency spent 23.4 million on this during the last 12 months.

Flooding

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from the Environment Agency regarding flood (a) prevention and (b) defences.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency has asked the Government to recognise and commit to meeting the need for a significant further increase in funding on a planned basis to (a) improve flood warnings and (b) maintain and improve the overall standard and extent of flood defence. This will be considered alongside other evidence through the Spending Review 2002 process. Current plans are for this Department's spending on flood and coastal defences for all operating authorities to increase from last year's outturn of 66 million to 114 million in 200304.
	The Agency has also asked the Government to consider alternative institutional arrangements for delivering the flood and coastal defence service. We are already doing so as part of the present review of funding arrangements.

Flooding

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much private money was spent in the last four years on flood defences and flood prevention.

Elliot Morley: The Government do not collect information on the work undertaken by private individuals to protect their properties against flooding. In some cases beneficiaries of flood defence works undertaken by the operating authorities will make a contribution to those works. Comprehensive information on such contributions is not available in respect of works undertaken by local authorities or internal drainage boards but contributions to the Environment Agency in England were as follows:
	
		 million 
		
			 Year  
		
		
			 199798 0.2 
			 199899 0.3 
			 19992000 0.5 
			 200101 0.3

Flooding

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much public funds were spent, broken down by local authorities, agencies and other relevant organisations on flood defences and flood prevention in the last four years; how much public spending on flood defences/prevention is planned for the next two years; and how much additional money she promised in 2001 for flood defences and flood prevention on top of that pledged in the last spending review.

Elliot Morley: Flood defence is provided by the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards. The following table shows expenditure, from all sources, by the different operation authorities.
	
		 million 
		
			 Year Environment Agency Local authorities Internal drainage boards(3) Total 
		
		
			 199798 255.2 13,0 40.0 308.2 
			 199899 247.2 15.0 40.3 302.5 
			 19992000 260.3 15.4 40.7 316.4 
			 200001 270.4 (4)20.1 41.0 (4)331.5 
		
	
	(3) Estimated
	(4) Provisional
	The great majority of this expenditure is provided by Government in the form of DEFRA grant (for approved capital and other works) and by DTLR through revenue support grant (which is used by local authorities to fund levies to the Environment Agency, special levies to internal drainage boards and to finance their own spend on flood and coastal defence).The Spending Review 2000 provided for an increase in DEFRA grant of 10 million in 200203 and 20 million in 200304. It also provided for local authority Standard Spending Assessments for flood and coastal defence to increase by some 4.4 per cent. annually over the period.
	A further 51 million of DEFRA support was announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 4 November 2000. This was allocated as follows: 2 million in 200001; 17 million in 200102; 17 million in 200203 and 15 million in 200304. A further 6.6 million to assist the Environment Agency to meet its emergency costs was announced in January 2001 and allocated in 200102.
	The following table sets out total Government funding of flood and coastal defence for the last four years and forecast expenditure for the current and next two years:
	
		
			 Year  million 
		
		
			 199798 312.4 
			 199899 315.9 
			 19992000 326.3 
			 200001 331.7 
			 200102 376.9 
			 200203 393.5 
			 200304 414.2

Flooding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has taken to streamline the agencies that have a responsibility for flooding matters, with particular reference to (a) the Environment Agency, (b) the internal drainage boards, (c) local authorities, (d) British Waterways and (e) other boards.

Elliot Morley: The Government are considering this issue as part of the current review of funding arrangements for flood and coastal defence.

Flooding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to ensure that flood prevention is not paid for exclusively from council tax.

Elliot Morley: It is already the case that the great majority of expenditure on flood and coastal defence is currently met out of general taxation.
	In the current year DEFRA expects to provide direct funding of some 92 million to the operating authorities while some 264 million is provided to local authorities through DTLR's standard spending assessments which are largely supported by central grant and non-domestic rate income. Local authorities use this to fund levies to the Environment Agency, special levies to internal drainage boards and their own spend on flood and coastal defence.

Warm Front Grants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received regarding the level of Warm Front grants in England; and what plans she has to change the level of the grant.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, marketed as the Warm Front Team, is managed under contract by the Eaga Partnership Ltd. and TXU Warm Front Ltd. Both companies provide regular advice to the Department about the average cost of work under the scheme. This is then used to review the appropriate maximum level set for grant paid to individual householders.

Sovereign Harbour (Eastbourne)

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations the Environment Agency has made with respect to the building of homes at Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne.

Sally Keeble: I have been asked to reply.
	The Environment Agency has responded to consultations by Eastbourne borough council about planning applications for proposed residential development in the area between the sea defence and the inner harbour. The Agency's responses to such consultations can be viewed at Eastbourne borough council's offices.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

London Underground (SPADs)

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many signal passed at danger events there were on the London Underground lines in the past five years for which figures are available.

David Jamieson: London Underground take SPADs very seriously and are constantly working to reduce the number on their network. Information on the number of SPADs is regularly placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The most recent information, which includes data for SPADs since 1993, was placed in the Library on 7 November.

Departmental Promotions

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much his Department spent on information literature, advertising and campaign material in the financial years (a) 199596, (b) 199697, (c) 199798, (d) 199899 (e) 19992000 and (f) 200001; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: The Department's financial year starts 1 April and runs to 31 March. For each financial year from 1995 the advertising spend, broken down by category, is set out in the table.
	
		 
		
			Advertising  
			  Television Radio Press Other(5) Total 
		
		
			 199596(6) 9,300,000 
			 199697 3,836,887 461,937 1,741,197 1,178,979 7,219,000 
			 199798 3,154,027 926,232 1,559,001 860,740 6,500,000 
			 199899 3,449,938 1,048,951 861,097 640,014 6,000,000 
			 19992000 7,457,172 661,303 1,059,974 2,821,551 12,000,000 
			 200001 13,475,335 1,932,364 971,796 1,314,395 17,693,890 
		
	
	(5) e.g. posters, leaflets
	(6) A breakdown into separate categories would only be possible at disproportionate cost
	The increased expenditure on advertising in 19992000 resulted from:
	(i) An increase of 3.6 million on the Are you doing your bit campaign to help people to take action to protect the environment; and
	(ii) 2.9 million spent on a campaign to encourage voting in the Greater London Authority elections.
	The increase in expenditure in 200001 resulted from:
	(i) An additional increase of 2 million on the Are you doing your bit campaign; and
	(ii) A 4 million increase on the campaign aimed at further reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
	(iii) Advertising aimed at providing information to the general public on access to the countryside during the foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Train Operating Companies

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to ensure (a) Arriva in West Yorkshire and (b) other train operating companies recruit and retain sufficient drivers to fulfil their timetable commitments.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) expects all train operators to recruit sufficient staff, including drivers, to run a reliable train service and meet their timetable commitments.
	The SRA has in place performance regimes under which train operators are penalised if they fail to meet certain standards. The SRA can also issue enforcement orders and penalties against operators for continuing poor performance, as it proposes with Arriva Trains Northern.

Kane v. New Forest DC

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the implications of the judgment in the case of Kane v. New Forest DC.

Sally Keeble: The case was an appeal against the summary dismissal of a claim for damages for personal injuries caused by negligence. The appeal succeeded, so that the substantive claim can now proceed. Pending its conclusion, the matter is sub judice and I cannot comment.

Light Rail Schemes

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of the investment outlined in the Government's 10-Year Plan is allocated to Light Rail schemes.

David Jamieson: Light Rail schemes account for about 1.7 per cent. of total spending in our 10-Year Plan for Transport.

Suburban Train Lines (Waterloo)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on how and when the proposed extension of trains and platforms on suburban lines into Waterloo will be financed.

David Jamieson: Investment in new trains for the Waterloo suburban lines is being made by Angel Trains under a 1 billion deal, announced on 24 April 2001, between the company, Stagecoach Holdings plc and Siemens. It will be recovered through leasing charges paid by the train operator, South West Trains, which will be in receipt of franchise payments from the Strategic Rail Authority. No agreement has yet been reached with Railtrack or with other private investors on the financing of station improvements, including platform extensions, but the investment is similarly likely to be recovered through access charges paid by the train operator.

Railtrack

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 25 October 2001, Official Report, column 395W, on Railtrack, if he will list the actions that will be required to secure investment grade ratings for the debt of the company limited by guarantee.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 671W.

Railtrack

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his reply of 22 October 2001, Official Report, column 94W, on Railtrack, when he met Mr. Alun Evans to discuss release of the document proposing changes to the Parsons Brinckerhoff report; and to what extent the propriety of the conduct of Ms Jo Moore in respect of the release of this document was discussed with Mr. Evans.

Stephen Byers: This information is exempted from disclosure under Part 2 of Section II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Railtrack

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact on the crossrail project of Railtrack being placed into administration.

David Jamieson: Work on the development of a crossrail project will continue on the same basis as before Railtrack administration. It has always been expected that a special purpose vehicle would be created to take forward any scheme which might be developed as a result of the current project definition work.

Railtrack

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect on the rail services to and from the Beckenham constituency of the decision to place Railtrack into administration.

David Jamieson: Rail services will not be affected by the process of administration. The Government will ensure that the administrator has the funds to maintain the full operation of the network.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the value of the railway stations within the ownership of Railtrack on 4 October was.

John Spellar: The balance sheet valuation of all of Railtrack Group plc's tangible assets as at 31 March 2001 is shown in their 200001 annual report and accounts. Separate accounts for Railtrack plc are held at Companies House.

Railways Act

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the occasions since 1997 when section 54 of the Railways Act 1993 has been used.

David Jamieson: Since 1997, section 54 has been used five times as follows:
	March 2000 in respect of 120 vehicles for Connex South Central
	March 2001 in respect of 818 vehicles for South West Trains
	July 2001 in respect of 240 vehicles for South Central/GoVia
	October 2001 in respect of eight new trailer cars and five new four-car units for Arriva Trains Northern
	November 2001 in respect of five two-car vehicles for Arriva Trains Northern.

Light Rapid Transport Scheme

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what contribution his Department is making to the light rapid transport scheme for Fareham-Gosport-Portsmouth; how the estimated cost of the scheme is to be financed; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: The agreement that the Government have reached with the authorities promoting the scheme provides for the public sector contribution to be shared between central Government and the authorities. This is in line with our general policy that about a quarter of the costs of a major public transport scheme of this kind should be met from local sources. The precise amounts involved will only be determined once the tendering process has been completed.

Affordable Housing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what checks are made to ensure that affordable housing building takes place by house builders on former English Partnership land.

Sally Keeble: Each provider of affordable housing on English Partnerships land is contractually obliged to provide an agreed number of units, the delivery of which is confirmed upon practical completion of a particular development site or project.

Special Advisers

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received from civil service unions about the conduct of his special advisers since 7 June.

Stephen Byers: None.

Airlines (Security)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received on (a) the deferred payment of air passenger duty, (b) the extra costs of airline and airport security and (c) maintaining insurance cover to airlines, since 11 September; and if he will make a statement. [R]

David Jamieson: We have received various representations from the air transport industry on all of these issues. The Government moved quickly to underwrite, on a temporary basis, third party war risk insurance for UK airlines and service providers to the airline industry. The initiative has subsequently been widely copied elsewhere and was recently extended until 23 November. The European Commission has set out guidelines on emergency aid measures which were endorsed at the meeting of European Transport Ministers on 16 October. We will take these guidelines into account in considering whether further aid should be provided to the British airline industry.

Flood Plains

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures he is taking to ensure that house buyers are aware of the risks of purchasing a house built on a flood plain.

Sally Keeble: In September 1999 the Environment Agency published indicative floodplain maps using the best available current information. These were supplied to local authorities to inform the planning process and are updated annually. In December 2000 the Environment Agency placed these maps on the internet on their website www.environment-agency.gov.uk in the section entitled What's in your backyard. Prospective home buyers can interrogate this site by postcode to see the area at flood risk. Further, more detailed information can be obtained by writing to the local Environment Agency area office.
	Under the Government's proposals for sellers' packs, prospective buyers will be provided with key information about homes marketed for sale. Flood risk information is one of the items being considered for inclusion in the seller's pack. In the meantime, the Environment Agency is engaged in advanced discussions with the Law Society on making an 'Environment Agency Property Search Report', a standard part of the domestic and commercial conveyancing process in England and Wales. A pilot trial is running in North Wales and work is under way to extend this. Each Environment Agency report will include information on flood risk as well as other environmental data for which the agency has responsibility.

Local Government

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received about the effectiveness of local authority standards committees; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: I have not received any representations about the effectiveness of local authority standards committees.

Recycling (London)

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which London-based organisations have received grants from (a) the single regeneration budget and (b) other sources to promote waste recycling in the past two years; and what the value was of grants in each case.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 8 November 2001
	Information on individual London-based organisations that received funding to promote waste recycling through the single regeneration budget is held by the SRB partnerships who distribute the funding. However, the London Development Agency, who are responsible for administering the SRB programme in London, have provided details of London SRB schemes that included waste management or recycling projects in their outputs in 19992000 and 200001. These are at table A. In addition, a SRB round 6 scheme Re-engineering Secondary Materials for Thames Gateway was awarded 5.4 million lifetime funding in summer 2000 but did not incur any project expenditure during 200001. This is run by London Remade, a strategic partnership between waste management companies, statutory authorities, London boroughs and community organisations, with the principal objective of promoting new markets and secondary industries based on reprocessing and reuse of London's recyclable materials.
	The Environmental Action Fund, operated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), is designed to help voluntary groups advance the Government's environmental policies to London- based organisations to promote recycling and raise awareness of waste management issues. Table B lists the grants that were issued during 19992000, 200001 and 200102.
	The Spending Review 2000 established a fund of 140 million specifically for local authority waste management and recycling. DEFRA will be consulting shortly on proposals for the distribution and use of this fund.
	
		Table A: Number of waste management or recycling schemes in London SRB schemes during 19992000 and 2000/01
		
			  
			 Name of Scheme 19992000 200001 SRB Lifetime Value(7) 
		
		
			 Connecting Communities 1 3 2,099,800 
			 Forest Gate and Plaistow 0 1 21,769,208 
			 Stratford and Temple Mills  1 7,834,664 
			 Creekside Renewal  2 8,273,500 
			 Canning Town 1 1 21,501,000 
			 Time for Greenwich  107 26,969,300 
			 Hackney Wick 1 1 19,234,999 
			 Mile End Park  1 2,330,000 
			 New Horizons for Harold Hill  1 3,819,378 
			 Northern Wards  6 2,814,851 
			 Releasing Local Potential  1 29,920,000 
			 South Wandle Regeneration Partnership  26 6,397,010 
			 King's Cross Partnership  1 37,173,806 
			 West Euston Partnership  4 6,546,000 
			 Aylesbury Plus 1 3 4,798,237 
			 Developing Park Royal's Offer  17 26,721,833 
			 A New Future for Finsbury Park  1 25,000,000 
			 New Opportunities for Walthamstow  1 13,997,990 
			 Bridging the Divides  48 28,136,192 
			 Cross River Partnership (SBEG)  1 7,589,237 
		
	
	(7) Total award of SRB funding is for all the activities within the scheme
	
		Table B: Grants from the Environmental Action Fund
		
			 
			 Organisation Project title Amount 
		
		
			 19992000   
			 Hackney Community Recycling Learning from Scrap 48,743 
			 Safe Neighbourhoods Unit Estate Recycling Support Project 13,534 
			 Waste Watch 3Rs for the 3rd Sector 21,413 
			 Waste Watch National Waste Awareness Initiative 59,860 
			 Waste Watch Supporting action on 'Less Waste More Value' 99,000 
			
			 200001   
			 Elephant Jobs Community Composting 14,500 
			 Elephant Jobs Office Furniture Fittings 26,108 
			 Hackney Community Recycling Learning from Scrap 49,439 
			 Safe Neighbourhoods Unit Estate Recycling Support Project 13,529 
			 Waste Watch 3Rs for the 3rd Sector 21,819 
			 Waste Watch National Waste Awareness Initiative 55,465 
			 Waste Watch Supporting action on 'Less Waste More Value' 110,000 
			
			 200102   
			 BioRegional Development Group An integrated Tree Station for London 59,860 
			 Elephant Jobs Community Composting 14,500 
			 Elephant Jobs Office Furniture Fittings 26,108 
			 Hackney Community Recycling Learning from Scrap 33,250 
			 Waste Watch National Waste Awareness Initiative 71,680 
			 Waste Watch Supporting action on 'Waste Strategy 2000' 198,000

Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will reply to the questions of 22 October from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West.

David Jamieson: I replied to the hon. Member's questions about the Working Time Directive on 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 133W and on 7 November 2001, Official Report, columns 28788W.

Empty Homes

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the impact of the Government's Flats over the Shop initiative.

Sally Keeble: The scheme for 100 per cent. capital allowances for flats over shops was introduced in the Budget. Spending on the renovation or conversion of vacant or under-used space above shops or other qualifying commercial premises, to provide flats for rent, can qualify under the scheme from 11 May 2001.
	Information about the amount of spending qualifying under the measure will not be available until 2003, when property owners and occupiers who have incurred expenditure have sent in their tax returns for the first tax year in which the scheme has been in operation.

Homelessness

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many children were made homeless in (a) 1997 and (b) 2001 to date; and what proposals the Government have to counter this problem.

Sally Keeble: Summary information on activity under statutory homelessness provisions is reported to the Department by local authorities in England. This includes the number of households accepted under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts as being eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and identifies those households containing dependent children.
	The latest information is as follows:
	
		Homeless households accepted by local authorities in England
		
			  1997 2001(8) 
		
		
			 Total households accepted 102,410 59,530 
			 of which containing dependent children 58,780 33,800 
			 Estimated number(9) of dependent children 105,000 58,000 
		
	
	(8) January to June
	(9) Rounded estimatesprecise data are not collected
	Source:
	DTLR Quarterly P1(E) housing activity returns
	Families with children who are accepted by a local housing authority as unintentionally homeless are provided with accommodation.
	Under the Children Act 1989, social services have a duty to assist any child under 16 who is in need. Monitoring by the rough sleepers unit by outreach workers shows there are very few under 18-year-olds sleeping rough. Children under 16 found on the streets by agencies, including police or homelessness workers, are helped from the streets and referred to social services. The social exclusion unit is currently leading an exercise looking at improving services available to young runaways.
	Homeless acceptances represent households in need who are helped by local authorities into accommodation. The provisions of the Homelessness Bill will require housing authorities to take a more strategic, multi-agency approach to the prevention of homelessness and the rehousing of homeless households; ensure that everyone accepted by housing authorities as unintentionally homeless and in priority need must be provided with suitable accommodation until they obtain a settled housing solution; and allow housing authorities greater flexibility to assist non-priority homeless households, principally through a new power for housing authorities to secure accommodation for such households where they have the scope to do so.
	To support these provisions, investment in new affordable housing through the Housing Corporation will rise to over 1.2 billion by 200304about double the current level.
	The Government are currently developing a national strategic framework to help prevent and tackle homelessness throughout the country.
	The Code on Guidance on Allocations and Homelessness will be strengthened to ensure that the health needs of children in temporary accommodation are met.

Homelessness

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the Government will publish (a) a response to the homelessness consultation, (b) the Vulnerable Groups (Definition) Guidelines, (c) proposals to deal with rogue landlords in the social housing sector, (d) proposals to license houses in multiple occupation, (e) proposals on the future of the Rough Sleepers Unit and (f) new regulations to extend the right to priority temporary social housing to those with an institutionalised background.

Sally Keeble: The Government have recently consulted on proposals for a national strategy to tackle homelessness. A summary of responses will be placed on the DTLR internet site on 7 December. The consultation responses are being considered and the Government will announce their response in due course.
	We have consulted on a draft order which would extend the groups of people who have a priority need for housing, under the homelessness legislation. This includes applicants who the local authority are satisfied are vulnerable as a result of an institutionalised background. We are considering the public consultation responses to the order, and will take decisions on implementation shortly. Guidance relating to the priority needs categories will be issued alongside the order.
	I believe that the hon. Member has in mind our proposals on dealing with unsatisfactory private landlords, rather than landlords in the social sector. We published on 20 October a consultation paper on selective licensing of private landlords.
	We aim to publish around the turn of the year details of our legislative proposals on houses in multiple occupation, taking account of the responses to consultation.
	The rough sleepers unit has just completed a written consultation exercise on its future role. An announcement on the conclusions will be made in due course.

Homelessness

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent research has been carried out by his Department on the causes of homelessness in relation to (a) violence in the home and (b) drug abuse.

Sally Keeble: This Department has carried out no research recently on the causes of homelessness in relation to violence in the home or drug use.

Planning

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many planning decisions the Secretary of State called in from local planning authorities, and in what categories, during the last year.

Sally Keeble: 127 planning applications were called in between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001.
	
		
			 Type of development Number of applications called-in 
		
		
			 Community, health and education 3 
			 Recreation and leisure 14 
			 Industry 1 
			 Mineral extraction/exploration 1 
			 Offices and studios 1 
			 Residences 48 
			 Retail 35 
			 Transport, utilities and communication 12 
			 Wholesale, storage and distribution 3 
			 Others 9 
			  
			 Total 127

Planning

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many (a) planning appeals before the Planning Inspectorate and (b) planning appeals being considered by the Secretary of State there were in (i) June 1997 and (ii) June 2001; and what was the average length of time taken to determine them in each case.

Sally Keeble: The figures for each are shown by financial year. Figures for 200102 are not yet available.
	
		
			 Planning Inspectorate Appeals received 
		
		
			 199798 14,182 
			 200001 15,336 
		
	
	Target 199798: issue 80 per cent. of appeals decisions within 20 weeks for written representations, 33 weeks for hearings, 44 weeks for inquiries. The Inspectorate's performance for each was 21, 40 and 52 weeks respectively.
	Target 200001: issue 80 per cent. of decisions within 17 weeks for written representations, 23 weeks for hearings, 33 weeks for inquiries. The Inspectorate's performance against appeals targets for each was 17, 21 and 31 weeks respectively.
	
		
			 Secretary of State Appeals recovered 
		
		
			 199798 208 
			 200001 163 
		
	
	Target 199798: issue 80 per cent. of decisions within eight weeks and 100 per cent. within 13 weeks from receipt of Inspector's report. Performance: 51 per cent. in eight weeks and 76 per cent. in 13 weeks.
	Target: 200001: issue 80 per cent. of decisions within eight weeks and 100 per cent. within 13 weeks. Performance: 56.4 per cent. in eight weeks and 66.9 per cent. in 13 weeks.
	We intend to make dramatic improvements in the time taken to decide recovered appeals.

Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many households living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation there were in the first quarter of (a) 1997 and (b) 2001; what plans he has to reduce this number; and what steps he is taking to ensure that this accommodation is of a reasonable standard.

Sally Keeble: There were 4,100 households in bed-and-breakfast accommodation at the end of the first quarter of 1997 and 10,830 in 2001. Over the next two years the newly established bed-and-breakfast unit will work with partners to reduce the need to place families in B and B. The unit will be hosting a conference on 20 November to consult on targets and actions for reducing B and B use.
	Local authorities are required by law to ensure that any accommodation secured for people accepted as statutorily homeless is suitable. In considering whether accommodation is suitable, local authorities will need, among other factors, to have regard to whether it is of a reasonable standard. Statutory guidance issued by my Department also makes it clear that if authorities do have to use bed-and-breakfast accommodation they should ensure that the accommodation meets statutory standards for houses in multiple occupation.

Local Authority Debt

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list those local authorities that are (a) debt free and (b) in debt, indicating their level of debt in (i) June 1997 and (ii) June 2001.

Alan Whitehead: The 106 English local authorities listed have reported that they had debt-free status as at 30 June 2001:
	Barking and Dagenham
	Basingstoke and Deane
	Bath and North East Somerset
	Bedford
	Bracknell Forest UA
	Breckland
	Broadland
	Bromley
	Bromsgrove
	Broxbourne
	Chichester
	Chiltern
	Christchurch
	City of London
	Congleton
	Corby
	Cotswold
	Crawley
	Dacorum
	Dartford
	Daventry
	Dorset
	East Cambridgeshire
	East Devon
	East Dorset
	East Hampshire
	Eden
	Elmbridge
	Epsom and Ewell
	Forest Heath
	Fylde
	Hambleton
	Harlow
	Hart
	Havant
	Hertsmere
	Horsham
	Huntingdonshire
	Kennet
	Lichfield
	Malvern Hills
	Mid Bedfordshire
	Mid Sussex
	Mole Valley
	North Devon
	North Dorset
	North Wiltshire
	Penwith
	Redditch
	Reigate and Banstead
	Runnymede
	Rushmoor
	Ryedale
	Salisbury
	Sevenoaks
	South Buckinghamshire
	South Cambridgeshire
	South Hampshire
	South Northamptonshire
	South Oxfordshire
	South Ribble
	South Shropshire
	South Somerset
	South Staffordshire
	Spelthorne
	St. Edmundsbury
	Staffordshire Moorlands
	Stevenage
	Stratford-on-Avon
	Suffolk Coastal
	Surrey Heath
	Swale
	Tandridge
	Tewkesbury
	Three Rivers
	Tonbridge and Malling
	Tunbridge Wells
	Tynedale
	Uttlesford
	Vale of White Horse
	Watford
	Waverley
	Welwyn Hatfield
	West Berkshire UA
	West Wiltshire
	Windsor and Maidenhead UA
	Worthing
	Wychavon
	Wyre
	Wyre Forest
	Cambridgeshire Police Authority Dorset Police Authority
	Kent Police Authority
	Merseyside Police Authority
	Suffolk Police Authority
	Sussex Police Authority
	Wiltshire Police Authority
	Dartmoor National Park Authority
	Exmoor National Park Authority
	Lake District National Park
	North York Moors National Park Authority
	Northumberland National Park Authority
	Peak National Park
	The Broads Authority
	Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
	North London Waste Authority
	Note:
	An authority is debt-free if (a) at 30 June 2001, the authority's credit ceiling was nil or a negative amount and (b) at 1 July 2001, the authority had no money outstanding by way of external borrowing other than short-term borrowing or hard to redeem debt, as defined in Regulation 154 of the Local Authorities (Capital Finance) Regulations 1997.
	Source:
	Capital Payments and Receipts (CPR1) 200102.
	I am placing in the Library of the House the relevant figures on levels of debt for each local authority in England reported as at 31 March 1997 and 31 March 2001.

Council Housing

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list those housing authorities that have transferred all or part of their housing stock in a large scale voluntary transfer in the last five years, together with the number of units.

Sally Keeble: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			 Authority  Date of transfer Number of dwellings 
		
		
			 Cotswold district council 28 February 1997 4,282 
			 South Staffordshire district council 7 March 1997 5,273 
			 Lichfield district council 19 March 1997 4,921 
			 South Oxfordshire district council 7 July 1997 5,018 
			 Eden district council 22 September 1997 1,510 
			 London borough of Lambeth (Moorlands) 5 January 1998 515 
			 London borough of Bexley (partial) 9 February 1998 4,118 
			 London borough of Bexley (partial) 9 February 1998 4,097 
			 Congleton borough council 2 March 1998 4,061 
			 Oldham borough council (Limehurst) 9 March 1998 642 
			 Liverpool city council (Windermere) 19 March 1998 493 
			 London borough of Merton (Pollards Hill) 23 March 1998 1,018 
			 London borough of Tower Hamlets (Poplar) 23 March 1998 1,852 
			 Kerrier district council 23 March 1998 3,732 
			 London borough of Hackney (Kingsmead) 30 March 1998 951 
			 London borough of Brent (Fortunegate/Church End) 30 March 1998 1,481 
			 Basildon district council (Vange) 30 March 1998 708 
			 West Somerset district council 30 March 1998 1,869 
			 Stoke-on-Trent city council (Bentilee) 31 March 1998 917 
			 Tewkesbury borough council 27 April 1998 3,066 
			 Rother district council 1 May 1998 3,058 
			 London borough of Lambeth (Lansdowne Green) 20 July 1998 681 
			 London borough of Tower Hamlets (Poplar II) 7 December 1998 2,431 
			 Wirral metropolitan borough council (Leasowe) 25 January 1999 1,082 
			 Tameside metropolitan borough council (West Ashton) 1 February 1999 901 
			 West Devon borough council 22 February 1999 1,446 
			 South Somerset district council 1 March 1999 8,883 
			 East Lindsey district council 1 March 1999 5,102 
			 Liverpool city council (Pinehurst) 5 March 1999 646 
			 Manchester city council (partial) 8 March 1999 1,030 
			 London borough of Hackney (Morningside) 15 March 1999 1,084 
			 South Hams district council 22 March 1999 3,096 
			 London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (Old Oak) 17 March 1999 668 
			 London borough of Hackney (Upper Clapton) 22 March 1999 1,000 
			 Telford and Wrekin council 25 March 1999 13,081 
			 London borough of Enfield (partial) 29 March 1999 1,194 
			 Worthing borough council 29 March 1999 2,525 
			 Bath and North East Somerset council 29 March 1999 9,887 
			 Manchester city council (East Wythenshawe) 29 March 1999 6,667 
			 London borough of Greenwich (Charlton Triangle) 29 March 1999 1,280 
			 London borough of Hackney (Haggerston) 29 March 1999 661 
			 Allerdale borough council (partial transfer) 31 March 1999 3,704 
			 Allerdale borough council (Salterbeck) 31 March 1999 727 
			 Preston borough council (Avenham) 4 June 1999 1,121 
			 London borough of Lambeth (central Stockwell) 5 July 1999 2,358 
			 Birmingham city council (central areas) 21 June 1999 2,813 
			 London borough of Islington (Barnsbury) 26 September 1999 647 
			 London borough of Islington (10 estates) 26 September 1999 739 
			 Liverpool city council (Speke Garston) 4 October 1999 4,382 
			 West Lindsey district council 18 October 1999 3,929 
			 London borough of Lambeth (St. Martins) 25 October 1999 1,033 
			 Boston borough council 29 November 1999 4,871 
			 Tynedale district council 20 December 1999 3,564 
			 Newcastle under lyme borough council 31 January 2000 9,887 
			 Restormel borough council 7 February 2000 3,577 
			 Manchester city council (Colshaw Farm) 14 February 2000 600 
			 North Devon district council 21 February 2000 3,293 
			 London borough of Hackney (Stamford Hill) 6 March 2000 1,095 
			 London borough of Hackney (Pembury Estate) 6 March 2000 1,241 
			 Burnley borough council 8 March 2000 5,330 
			 Manchester city council (Sale estate) 20 March 2000 1,655 
			 Weymouth and Portland council 20 March 2000 3,105 
			 Huntingdon district council 20 March 2000 6,650 
			 Elmbridge borough council 27 March 2000 4,894 
			 Test Valley borough council 27 March 2000 5,495 
			 Wyre Forest district council 27 March 2000 6,056 
			 Manchester city council (Whitefield Estate) 27 March 2000 1,033 
			 London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Tower Hamlets Community Housing) 27 March 2000 1,551 
			 Tameside metropolitan borough council (north) 27 March 2000 8,532 
			 Tameside metropolitan borough council (south) 27 March 2000 7,934 
			 London borough of Richmond 17 July 2000 7,139 
			 Coventry city council 22 September 2000 20,125 
			 Fylde borough council 2 October 2000 1,905 
			 Chester city council 27 November 2000 7,096 
			 Horsham district council 11 December 2000 4,650 
			 London borough of Tower Hamlets (partial) 12 February 2001 196 
			 East Northamptonshire district council 19 February 2001 3,495 
			 Torbay district council 19 February 2001 2,947 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands district council 23 February 2001 3,132 
			 Calderdale metropolitan borough council 6 March 2001 12,759 
			 Chichester district council 13 March 2001 5,321 
			 Mendip district council 19 March 2001 4,326 
			 West Wiltshire district council 26 March 2001 3,284 
			 West Oxfordshire district council 26 March 2001 3,643 
			 East Staffordshire borough council 26 March 2001 5,637 
			 Manchester city council (Handforth Estate) 26 March 2001 659 
			 Sunderland city council 26 March 2001 36,356 
			 Blackburn with Darwen borough council 28 March 2001 9,886 
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council 1 October 2001 5,500 
			 Mid-Bedfordshire district council 5 November 2001 3,084 
			 Total number transfers90   
			 Total number dwellings transferred359,883

Runway Capacity

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans his Department has to increase runway capacity at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick.

David Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport to my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 29 October 2001, Official Report, column 476W.

Runway Capacity

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the commercial use by regional air services of private and military airports in the London area with runways of at least 1,800 metres.

David Jamieson: In 1998 my Department commissioned a three-part study of business aviation in the south-east. Part 1 (Demand and Capacity studies) was published in 1998 and Part 2 (The Economic impact of Business Aviation) in 1999. These reports cover a number of airports with runway lengths of at least 1,800 metres. Copies of both are available in the House Libraries.
	Work on the final part of the study, Future Capacity for Business Aviation, has been subsumed into the on-going South East and East of England Regional Air Services Study (SERAS). The study will include an assessment of the contribution that smaller airports might make to short haul and domestic services.

Airport Slots (London-Inverness Route)

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Executive about the use of a public service obligation on the Gatwick to Inverness air route.

David Jamieson: The DTLR has received a proposal from the Scottish Executive outlining the case for the imposition of a public service obligation on the Inverness to London route. This proposal is being analysed by the DTLR, while taking European Regulation 2408/92 into account. Informal discussions at ministerial level about protection for this route have taken place. In addition, DTLR and Scottish Executive officials recently met to discuss the proposal.

Terminal 5

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when his Department will determine the application for terminal 5 at Heathrow.

Sally Keeble: The Secretary of State will make and announce his decision once he has completed his full and careful consideration of all the issues. The applicants for planning permission and other interested parties will all be told of the decision in the usual way, and an oral statement will be made to inform Parliament.

Air Movement Restrictions

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what restrictions on air movements in the vicinity of nuclear power stations are in force.

David Jamieson: Restrictions on overflying are in place in the vicinity of all nuclear power stations.

HEALTH

Care Standards (Young Adults)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the national care standards for younger adults will be introduced.

Jacqui Smith: The standards for younger adults will be introduced on 1 April 2002, when the National Care Standards Commission starts work. Some of the more challenging standards will not be implemented until some time after that for existing providers to be given realistic timescales in which to meet new standards.

Care Standards (Young Adults)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the report findings from the consultation on national care standards for younger adults will be published.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has received 500 responses to the younger adult and adult placement standards and is in the process of reviewing the standards in the light of the comments that have been received. A summary of these findings will be made available in due course.

Haemophilia

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent decision by the High Court to award damages under the Consumer Protection Act 1988 to 114 people infected with hepatitis C through blood transfusion; and what implications this will have for haemophiliacs who have been infected by hepatitis C after receiving blood transfusions.

Jacqui Smith: The recent decision by the High Court has no implications for anyone infected with hepatitis C before the Consumer Protection Act came into force in March 1988. This includes the vast majority of haemophiliacs who were probably infected before that date.

Royal Prerogative

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ministerial decisions were made where authority for the same derived from the Royal Prerogative for the most recent calendar month for which information is available.

Hazel Blears: Records are not kept of the individual occasions on which powers under the Royal Prerogative are exercised nor could it be practicable to do so.

Cancer Services

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women have been tested for cervical cancer in Leicestershire in the last 12 months.

Jacqui Smith: In 200001, 65,712 women underwent cervical screening in Leicestershire health authority.

Cancer Services

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many pilot areas there are in England for cervical screening; and what the time scale is for these pilots;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the thin prep pap test;
	(3)  what representations he has received on increasing access to the thin prep pap test beyond the pilot areas.

Jacqui Smith: The pilot of liquid based cytology (LBC) and human papilloma virus testing as triage for women with mild or borderline abnormalities is taking place at three sites; Newcastle, Norfolk and Norwich, and North Bristol. The pilot began in April 2001. The LBC arm of the pilot is being evaluated from October 2001, and results of the evaluation are expected in 2002.
	ThinPrep and AutoCyte Prep were the only liquid based slide preparation systems available at the time the pilot was developed. ThinPrep is being used at two of the sites, and AutoCyte prep at the third site. The evaluation of the pilot will gather data on the effectiveness of both systems.
	The NHS cancer plan set out the commitment that if evaluation of the pilot is successful we will fund the introduction of LBC across the national health service.
	We have had no representations on increasing ThinPrep beyond the pilot areas.

Cancer Services

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost of the treatment of a cervical cancer patient.

Jacqui Smith: The cost of treating different patients varies by the type of treatment they receive. The elements of the total cost incurred depend upon the individual components and treatments within the care pathway for that patient. For cervical cancer, a hysterectomy might be performed (1,861 average cost for elective in-patient in 19992000) and/or a course of radiotherapy undertaken, which would vary dependent on the type and classification of the type of cancer involved.

Cancer Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the funds allocated to the treatment of (a) breast cancer, (b) cervical cancer and (c) prostate cancer.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect figures on the cost of national health service services in a way that enables an accurate figure to be calculated for the cost of or investment in a particular disease.
	We made available an additional 280 million in 200102 for the development of cancer services. This will rise to 407 million in 200203 and 570 million in 200304. Local health authorities and primary care trusts, with cancer networks, are responsible for determining local priorities in implementing the NHS cancer plan.

Child Abuse

David Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pieces of Government-funded research there have been on the subject of abuse of disabled children in the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: There have not been any Government-funded studies which look specifically at the abuse of disabled children.
	However, the Department has recently commissioned a study to consider the symptoms of abuse in people who have severe learning disabilities. The study will examine the nature of the psychological harm caused to people with learning disabilities who are subject to physical and/or sexual abuse. Its aim is to improve the ability of staff and carers to identify and act on abuse, to identify the needs of the victims and to assist them in obtaining access to the judicial process.
	We have identified three other current or recent studies from the National Research Register, which are considering or have considered the abuse of children with learning disabilities. Further details of all these studies have been placed in the Library.
	There are a number of other studies that look more broadly at all children who are the victims of abuse which also encompass children with disability.

Child Abuse

David Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much related training material has been funded by the Government since the publication of the ABCD Pack in 1992.

Jacqui Smith: The available United Kingdom evidence on the extent of abuse among disabled children suggests that disabled children are at increased risk of abuse, and that the presence of multiple disabilities appears to increase the risk of both abuse and neglect.
	That is why the Department funded, in partnership with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a second training resource pack entitled Turning Points. It is also why in our Working Together to Safeguard Children child protection guidance and in the practice guidance and training pack underpinning the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families we have been careful to refer to this evidence base and to the need for particular attention to be paid to promoting a high level of awareness of the risks to this group of children and to high standards of practice.

Residential Services (Special Needs)

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish a consultation document on national standards for residential services for adults with disabilities and special needs.

Jacqui Smith: Draft national minimum standards for care homes for younger adults were issued for consultation on 29 June 2001. The Department is looking again at the national minimum standards for younger adults and adult placements in the light of the comments that have been received during the consultation process. The standards will be published in due course following completion of the review process.

Heart Disease

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was, from diagnosis to treatment for heart disease in each of the last four years.

Jacqui Smith: The diagnosis and treatment of heart disease may take place within primary, secondary or tertiary health care services. For those patients who require drug therapy to treat their condition, treatment will follow directly on from diagnosis. Patients requiring treatment in hospital who are not diagnosed as an emergency requiring immediate admission will go on a waiting list for in-patient treatment. The average median waiting times, from the date of a decision to admit a patient for treatment for heart disease to the admission date, for the last four years for which data are available, are in the table.
	
		
			 Year Median waiting time in days 
		
		
			 199697 57 
			 199798 55 
			 199899 60 
			 19992000 57 
		
	
	The figures are based on hospital in-patients admitted with an OPCS4 procedure code in the range K01 to K71 (heart procedures).

Pharmaceutical Expenditure

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expenditure per capita was on pharmaceuticals in each of the OECD countries for the most recent year for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Expenditure per capita on pharmaceuticals and other medical non-durables in each of the OECD countries for the most recent year for which figures are available is shown in the table.
	
		 
		
			 Country Last available year Expenditure per capita 
		
		
			 Australia 1998 118 
			 Austria n/a n/a 
			 Belgium 1997 203 
			 Canada 2000 212 
			 Czech Republic 1999 64 
			 Denmark 1999 155 
			 Finland 1999 160 
			 France 1999 323 
			 Germany 1998 206 
			 Greece 2000 108 
			 Hungary 1999 56 
			 Iceland 1999 258 
			 Ireland 1999 105 
			 Italy 1997 179 
			 Japan 1998 226 
			 Korea 1999 42 
			 Luxembourg 1999 198 
			 Mexico n/a n/a 
			 Netherlands 1999 149 
			 New Zealand 1997 115 
			 Norway 1997 157 
			 Poland n/a n/a 
			 Portugal 1998 133 
			 Slovakia n/a n/a 
			 Spain 1997 126 
			 Sweden 1997 172 
			 Switzerland 1998 176 
			 United Kingdom 1997 149 
			 Turkey 1994 16 
			 United States 1999 296 
		
	
	na = Not available
	Notes:
	1. The table displays figures for the total expenditure on pharmaceuticals and other medical non-durables, comprising pharmaceuticals such as medicinal preparations, branded and generic medicines, drugs, patent medicines, serums, vaccines, vitamins and minerals and oral contraceptives plus a wide range of medical non-durables such as bandages, elasticated stockings, incontinence articles, condoms and other mechanical contraceptive devices.
	2. The data have been converted from US$ terms into UK terms using the exchange rate series published in the same OECD database.
	Source:
	Figures are taken from OECD Health Data 2001

Electromagnetic Fields

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the role of overhead powerlines in causing breast cancer.

Jacqui Smith: The Department obtains advice on the possible health implications of exposure to electromagnetic fields, including those associated with power lines, from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). The board of NRPB has set up an independent advisory group on non-ionising radiation (AGNIR)
	to review work on the biological effects of non-ionising radiation relevant to human health and to advise on research priorities.
	In March this year, the NRPB's advisory group on non-ionising radiation (AGNIR) published a report on the potential risks of cancer from extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields. Overall AGNIR concluded that
	Laboratory experiments have provided no good evidence that extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields are capable of producing cancer, nor do human epidemiological studies suggest that they cause cancer in general.
	In June, the International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) based in Lyon, France brought together an international team of experts to review the evidence for the possible carcinogenic effects of exposure to static and extremely low frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields. The IARC working group evaluated ELF magnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans based on the statistical association of higher level residential ELF magnetic fields with increased risk of childhood leukaemia. In contrast, there is no consistent evidence that residential or occupational exposures of adults to power frequency magnetic fields increase the risk for any kind of cancer.

Electromagnetic Fields

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the California Health Department report on the possible health risks associated with power frequency electric and magnetic fields published in April 2001.

Jacqui Smith: The Department obtains advice on the possible health implications of exposure to electromagnetic fields, including those associated with power lines, from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). The NRPB's independent advisory group on non-ionising radiation was set up:
	to review work on the biological effects of non-ionising radiation relevant to human health and to advise on research priorities.
	In March this year the advisory group reported that there is some epidemiological evidence that prolonged exposure to higher levels of exposure to power frequency magnetic fields is associated with a small risk of leukaemia in children but this is, however, not conclusive. They also noted that laboratory studies and human adult studies do not suggest that they cause cancer in general.
	This view has been supported by a similar opinion expressed in a recent review of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields and cancer by the International Agency for Research in Cancer, which classified extremely low frequency magnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic on the basis of the statistical association noted for children.
	The advisory group discussed the report from the California Department of Health Sciences on possible risks from exposure to power frequency electromagnetic fields at its meeting on 30 October 2001. The group has commented that they know of no further scientific evidence published since their most recent report that would alter their opinion regarding evidence concerning exposure to power frequency electromagnetic fields and the risks of cancer as set out in their published reviews. They noted, however, that the California report also examined the possible effects of power frequency electromagnetic fields on a number of other diseases. NRPB is shortly to publish a review by the advisory group on electromagnetic fields and neurodegenerative diseases.

Special Care Baby Units

Kerry Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what Government initiatives there are to recruit and retain qualified nursing staff for special care baby units; whether there is funding available to recruit and train such staff; what his guidance is on the criteria for closing special care baby units; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: In the first year of the NHS Plan period, the number of nurses employed in the national health service increased by 6,310. We are committed to increasing the number of nurses and are increasing training places, encouraging former staff to return, and increasing international recruitment. The NHS is also changing to become a modern flexible employer.
	The staffing of all services should inform a trust's recruitment and retention strategy.
	It is for local health communities to decide on the pattern of service provision, including services provided by special care baby units, taking into account the needs of local people, evidence of effectiveness and available resources. The maternity and neonatal work force working group that we set up earlier this year will make recommendations on work force issues and models for configuring maternity services. Its work will feed into the development of the forthcoming national service framework for children and maternity services.

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effect on NHS mental health services of restrictions imposed by councils on the number of placements to be made by social services in nursing or residential homes; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: There has been no specific assessment of the effect on national health service mental health services of restrictions that any local authorities may have chosen to impose on the number of placements to be made by social services in nursing or residential homes. Most people with mental health problems are able to live in the community, and many of those people who are admitted to hospital with mental health problems are able to return to their own homes, or to families, on discharge.

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) voluntary and (b) independent sector groups have been involved in the planning and implementation of the national service framework for mental health.

Jacqui Smith: Many representatives of charitable and voluntary organisations, including representatives of service user and carer groups, were involved in helping to develop the national service framework for mental health through the external reference group and many continue to be involved in implementation, either through project work led by the Department and/or the mental health taskforce.

Care of the Elderly (Buckinghamshire)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on funding for the care of the elderly in Buckinghamshire.

Jacqui Smith: I recognise the importance of ensuring that appropriate health and social services are available for older people. Buckinghamshire health authority's spending on packages of care for older people has risen significantly year on year for the past three years. Spending on older people's services within Buckinghamshire social services department is slightly above the average spent on other client groups. The joint review of social services, carried out by the social services inspectorate and the Audit Commission, will be reviewing Buckinghamshire shortly.
	On 9 October, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced 300 million extra funding for local authorities to tackle bed blocking. Buckinghamshire was recognised as a local authority needing extra help and this year was given over 700,000 from that extra funding.

Dry Rot

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidance he has given to local councils on the treatment of dry rot and on which chemicals are permitted for its treatment.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has issued no such guidance to local authorities. Pesticide approvals for the treatment of dry rot are the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive.

Consultation Documents

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultation documents were issued by his Department from (a) 15 October to 14 January, (b) 15 January to 14 April, (c) 15 April to 14 July and (d) 15 July to 14 October in each year from 1996.

Jacqui Smith: During the period 19962001, the following number of consultation documents were issued by the Department.
	
		
			   1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 15 January to 14 April 0 3 2 0 11 12 
			 15 April to 14 July 2 0 4 3 7 7 
			 15 July to 14 October 2 0 3 4 7 25 
			 15 October to 14 January 3 1 1 6 7 (10)4 
			  
			 Total 7 4 10 13 32 48 
		
	
	(10) For the period 1531 October 2001 only

MMR Vaccine

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the levels of uptake among two-year olds of MMR were in each NHS region in each quarter of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 6 November 2001
	Data on measles, mumps and rubella uptake collected by the Public Health Laboratory service communicable disease surveillance centre are shown in the table.
	
		Percentage 
		
			 Year and Quarter Eastern London North West North and Yorkshire South East South West Trent West Midlands 
		
		
			 1995-Q1 93.7 87.2 92.0 93.4 93.3 95.1 92.4 92.7 
			 1995-Q2 93.6 86.5 91.0 92.08 92.9 94.5 93.1 92.1 
			 1995-Q3 92.4 86.5 90.1 91.8 92.3 94.0 93.2 91.6 
			 1995-Q4 92.7 86.7 90.6 90.8 91.9 93.7 92.0 92.5 
			 1996-Q1 92.6 86.6 90.9 91.1 92.6 94.1 92.7 93.0 
			 1996-Q2 92.8 86.2 91.1 91.3 92.4 93.8 93.1 92.8 
			 1996-Q3 92.6 85.9 90.8 91.9 92.4 92.9 92.6 92.7 
			 1996-Q4 93.3 85.8 91.4 92.4 92.0 93.2 93.4 92.2 
			 1997-Q1 93.3 86.0 91.2 91.6 92.2 93.4 92.8 93.0 
			 1997-Q2 92.8 85.0 90.2 91.5 91.4 92.8 89.5 91.8 
			 1997-Q3 92.9 84.9 90.5 91.2 91.4 92.0 88.5 91.7 
			 1997-Q4 92.4 84.4 90.5 91.5 90.8 92.2 87.7 92.2 
			 1998-Q1 90.7 83.7 89.7 90.7 90.1 91.0 88.7 91.5 
			 1998-Q2 89.3 82.2 88.3 89.8 88.6 90.1 88.4 90.1 
			 1998-Q3 89.0 81.6 88.2 89.4 88.2 90.0 88.9 90.7 
			 1998-Q4 88.1 79.8 87.6 88.8 87.9 89.5 90.8 89.5 
			 1999-Q1 88.7 79.7 87.6 89.4 88.3 89.9 90.4 89.3 
			 1999-Q2 88.4 80.0 87.3 88.5 87.8 89.0 91.0 89.4 
			 1999-Q3 88.9 79.3 88.3 89.1 87.9 88.9 91.0 89.2 
			 1999-Q4 89.0 81.6 88.9 90.0 87.5 88.3 90.7 89.4 
			 2000-Q1 89.9 80.0 88.4 89.4 87.6 88.6 91.6 89.3 
			 2000-Q2 89.4 79.2 88.9 89.8 87.3 89.1 91.1 89.3 
			 2000-Q3 89.3 78.8 88.7 89.5 87.5 87.9 91.7 88.7 
			 2000-Q4 87.4 76.4 86.5 88.5 85.9 86.6 90.4 87.8 
			 2001-Q1 85.9 72.3 85.6 85.9 84.0 85.7 88.2 85.7 
		
	
	Note:
	Data collected through the PHLS CDSC's cover programme. Data are presented by quarter of the financial year (that is, quarter one runs from 1 April to 30 June, quarter two from 1 July to 30 September and so on).

Consultants

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many more consultants, broken down by specialty, will be appointed by 2004, above the number in post in 2000.

John Hutton: holding answer 8 November 2001
	The NHS plan stated there would be 7,500 more consultants in post in 2004 than in 1999. By September 2000, the number of consultants in post had already increased by 1,100 to around 24,300. The national health service is currently drawing up plans by specialty to deliver the rest of the increase, a further 6,400 posts by 2004, which will be targeted towards the key specialties needed to deliver the commitments in the NHS plan. Information for the year to September 2001 will be available in February 2002.

Consultants

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health from which sources extra consultants will come in accordance with targets for 2004 detailed in the NHS Plan.

John Hutton: holding answer 8 November 2001
	Around 6,500 of the 7,500 increase will come from doctors currently working in the national health service, not in consultant posts. The rest will come from international recruitment and improved retention of existing consultants.

Nursing Care

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects the assessments to be completed on those patients who were receiving nursing care on 1 October but had not yet been assessed for free nursing care;
	(2)  how many patients were estimated to qualify for free nursing care on 1 October; and how many had been assessed for free nursing care by 1 October;
	(3)  what reason he has placed (a) an upper fiscal restriction on free nursing care in care homes and (b) no fiscal restrictions where the NHS provides nursing care in other settings;
	(4)  what (a) measures he has taken and (b) guidance he has issued to minimise delays in making advance payments in respect of self-funded residents in nursing homes;
	(5)  he will make a statement on the processes and procedures that have been adopted to assess people for free nursing care;
	(6)  when he expects all of the patients who are expected to have qualified for free nursing care on 1 October to have been assessed for free nursing care;
	(7)  what estimates he has made of the number of patients who will have to contribute to the cost of their nursing care because it costs more to provide than the banding system permits.

Jacqui Smith: The guidance on free nursing care in nursing homes was published on 25 September. This, and the accompanying directions to the national health service, set out the arrangements for health authorities and primary care trusts to carry out determinations of registered nursing care contribution (RNCC) for those eligible for free nursing care from 1 October. They should use their best endeavours to ensure that these are completed by the end of December and should agree the arrangements for making payments to nursing homes in respect of self-funding residents with effect from 1 October. The guidance also emphasised the need to process invoices from nursing homes as promptly as possible.
	A survey carried out over the summer by the Department revealed that there were over 42,000 people in nursing homes responsible for funding their own care. While a small number of determinations were planned to take place before 1 October, the vast majority will have taken place after then.
	The guidance acknowledges that, in some cases, individuals will be identified through the assessment and RNCC process who have exceptional long term needs for nursing care, both in amount and type, that do not meet local criteria for NHS continuing health care. The national health service has a similar responsibility to arrange or fund the services that individuals in nursing homes need as they would if they were receiving treatment in any other setting.

Nursing Care

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the type of training being given to nurses responsible for carrying out assessments for free nursing care; and how long the training lasts;
	(2)  how many nurses will be required in England and Wales to assess patients' eligibility for free nursing care;
	(3)  who, other than a state registered nurse, will be (a) involved in and (b) responsible for determining whether a patient is eligible for free nursing care;
	(4)  how many nurses will be (a) involved in and (b) responsible for determining each patient's eligibility for free nursing care.

Jacqui Smith: A programme of nurse training began in every region of England at the beginning of September and, by the end of October, a total of approximately 800 nurses had received training in carrying out the registered nursing care contribution (RNCC). The training lasted a full day and was supported by a practitioner guide published by the Department.
	Apart from these national health service nurses, the guidance on free nursing care in nursing homes sets out the roles of lead nurses and nursing home co-ordinators who will also be involved in the process for implementing free nursing care. In some cases, nurses employed by nursing homes may also be involved in the determination. A single nurse will usually carry out the RNCC unless the individual has specific and special needs. In certain cases, a separate continence assessment may need to be carried out by a continence adviser at a later date.

Nursing Care

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's are not eligible for free nursing care.

Jacqui Smith: Anyone currently in a nursing home with a need for care from a registered nurse and who is paying towards that care should have it paid for by the national health service following a determination carried out by an NHS nurse under the arrangements for free nursing care introduced on 1 October. This applies equally to those with Alzheimer's disease and dementia as it does to other conditions.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the definition of equal and free access to sexual and reproductive health care as included in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's document, Making a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission consultation document refers to:
	. . . the right to have equal and free access to sexual and reproductive health care and to information and education relating to sexual and reproductive matters at all levels, free from coercion, discrimination or violence.
	Full consideration will be given to the final recommendations made by the Commission when they are presented to the Government next year. If any clarification is needed on any of those recommendations, the Government will seek such clarification at that time.

Abortion

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to assist the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission reconcile different views on abortion in the proposed Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: In the consultation document published by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on 4 September this year, the Commission specifically excluded the abortion issue from any potential Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the line manager is for an authorised officer of the Parades Commission.

Jane Kennedy: Authorised officers are self employed individuals contracted to the Parades Commission. Co-ordination of the authorised officers is carried out at Deputy Principal level within the Secretariat.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many authorised officers have been remunerated over the past 12 months; how they are appointed; under what terms; and what has been their individual remuneration.

Jane Kennedy: Over the course of the past 12 months the Parades Commission has remunerated 15 authorised officers. Recruitment was carried out by the Mediation Network for Northern Ireland on behalf of the Parades Commission. Authorised officers are contracted for a minimum of 100 days per annum and their remit includes mediation, education and community development. Remuneration for authorised officers is currently 10,200 plus expenses per annum.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who decides the appointment of the Parades Commission commissioners, the length of contract and level of remuneration.

Jane Kennedy: The appointments process is carried out in accordance with the Peach principles, and includes an external scrutiny element.
	The posts are publicly advertised in the press and a selection panel meets to consider the applications received and a decision is taken whether to shortlist the candidates or invite all candidates for an interview. Candidates are interviewed by a selection panel, and a suitability submission is prepared for the Secretary of State's final approval of prospective commissioners.
	Under the terms of Schedule 1 of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998 the Chairman and other members of the Commission shall be appointed for a term not exceeding three years subject to the provisions within the Act.
	Also under the terms of Schedule 1 of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998 the Secretary of State may pay to the Chairman and other members of the Commission such remuneration as the Secretary of State may determine.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Parades Commission commissioners indicating their background prior to appointment, their other remunerated public or private posts and the time they are expected to commit to the Parades Commission over the period of one year.

Jane Kennedy: A list of the Parades Commission members and their backgrounds is available in the Parades Commission's Third Annual Report which was published in June, a copy of which is available in the Library of this House.
	An update of Parades Commission members' backgrounds and interests is currently being compiled, and will be available at a later date.
	Subject to provisions under paragraph 3, Schedule 1 of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998, a person shall hold and vacate office as a member, or as chairman of the Commission, in accordance with the terms of his appointment. Remuneration as a member of the Parades Commission is for an average of two days per week.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the travel expenses of the Chairman of the Parades Commission have been since his appointment, broken down by (a) his first year in office, (b) the year to date, (c) travel to/from Northern Ireland and (d) internal travel in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: During his first year in office (February 2000-February 2001) 18,546 was incurred on travel. Up to and including 26 October 2001 the figure was 12,449. The amount spent on travel to and from Northern Ireland from the date of his appointment until 26 October 2001 was 21,398. The cost of internal travel in Northern Ireland for the same period was 9,597. These figures do not include travel in London which was unavailable in the format required and would incur disproportionate costs to compile.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the procedure for complaint with respect to the work of an authorised officer of the Parades Commission.

Jane Kennedy: Any complaints about the work of authorised officers should be made, if necessary in writing, to the Parades Commission.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nights the Chairman of the Parades Commission has spent in Northern Ireland; and what the estimated cost of the provision of overnight accommodation is.

Jane Kennedy: Since his appointment the Chairman of the Parades Commission has spent 126 nights in Northern Ireland. Rented accommodation is provided at a cost of 8,340 per annum.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Chairman of the Parades Commission was appointed; what his (a) length of contract and (b) level of remuneration is; and what criteria will be used to assess whether his time in office has been successful.

Jane Kennedy: The Chairman of the Parades Commission was appointed on 19 February 2000 for a period of two years. Remuneration for the Chairman is 50,400 plus expenses per annum. The normal range of factors applying to public appointments will be taken into account in assessing the chairman's contribution.

Parades Commission

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people the Parades Commission employs, broken down by levels of remuneration.

Jane Kennedy: The Parades Commission consists of six members each earning 26,000 plus expenses per annum and a Chairman earning 50,400 plus expenses per annum. The Commission is assisted by a Secretariat currently staffed by a total of 11 seconded civil servants. The cost of the Secretariat salaries in 200001 was 285,000.

Paramilitary Violence

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) punishment beatings, (b) punishment shootings and (c) murders there were in Northern Ireland in each (i) week and (ii) month from 1 April to 30 September; and if he will indicate for each week and month how many of those crimes were committed by (A) republican, (B) loyalist and (C) other groups.

Jane Kennedy: Statistics on paramilitary style attacks and murders as a result of the security situation between 1 April 2001 and 30 September 2001 are given in the following tables.
	
		Casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks and murders by attribution 1 April to 30 September 2001 (weekly)
		
			   Paramilitary style shootings  Paramilitary style assaults  Murders  
			 Week Loyalist Republican Loyalist Republican Loyalist Republican 
		
		
			 1 April 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 28 April 4 0 2 2 0 0 
			 915 April 2 3 3 0 1 0 
			 1622 April 3 1 0 1 0 1 
			 2329 April 3 0 1 0 0 0 
			 30 April-6 May 0 0 2 0 0 1 
			 713 May 2 0 1 1 0 0 
			 1420 May 3 2 0 0 0 0 
			 2127 May 2 1 4 4 1 0 
			 28 May-3 June 2 0 0 2 0 0 
			 410 June 4 1 0 0 0 0 
			 1117 June 0 0 2 0 0 0 
			 1824 June 5 2 2 0 1 0 
			 25 June-1 July 5 2 1 2 0 0 
			 28 July 1 0 3 0 1 0 
			 915 July 2 0 1 1 0 0 
			 1622 July 2 2 7 0 0 0 
			 2329 July 3 1 2 0 1 0 
			 30 July-5 August 0 3 0 0 0 0 
			 612 August 3 3 1 0 0 0 
			 1319 August 0 2 1 0 0 0 
			 2026 August 5 5 1 0 0 0 
			 27 August-2 September 2 1 1 2 0 0 
			 39 September 2 5 0 0 0 0 
			 1016 September 3 2 1 2 0 0 
			 1723 September 0 2 2 0 0 0 
			 2430 September 3 1 1 0 1 0 
		
	
	Note:
	Statistics for the 200002 financial year are provisional at this stage and may be subject to minor amendment at a later date.
	
		Casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks and murders by attribution 1 April to 30 September 2001 (monthly)
		
			   Paramilitary style shootings  Paramilitary style assaults  Murders  
			 Month Loyalist Republican Loyalist Republican Loyalist Republican 
		
		
			 April 12 4 6 3 1 1 
			 May 8 3 7 7 1 1 
			 June 15 5 5 2 1 0 
			 July 8 5 13 1 2 0 
			 August 10 11 3 1 0 0 
			 September 8 11 5 3 1 0 
		
	
	Note:
	Statistics for the 200102 financial year are provisional at this stage and may be subject to minor amendment at a later date.

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what stocks of (a) antiques, (b) paintings and (c) fine wines are held by his Department; if he will list such assets sold over the last three years together with the sale proceeds from such transactions; what plans he has to sell further such assets over the period of the current Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: I refer the hon. Member to the National Asset Register (Cm5221 July 2001), which gives full details of departmental asset holdings. A reference to the Northern Ireland Office's pure heritage assets may be found on page 808 of that report.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; and on how many occasions in those years computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (A) within and (B) outside his Department.

John Reid: There was one case of computer hacking in the Northern Ireland Office in 2000, and there have been two to date this year. Of these, two were perpetrated by insiders, and one was an attack by an outsider on one of the Department's web pages.
	There were no cases of computer theft (including fraud) in 2000, and there have been two to date this year. Both of these were perpetrated by outsiders.

Departmental Publications

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on information literature, advertising and campaign material in the financial years (a) 199596, (b) 199697, (c) 199798, (d) 199899 (e) 19992000 and (f) 200001; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: The advertising campaigns for each of the past six years incurred the following costs:
	
		
			 Year  
		
		
			 199596 (11) 
			 199697 135,938.07 
			 199798 477,726.16 
			 199899 887,303.00 
			 19992000 330,630.95 
			 200001 85,827.00 
		
	
	(11) Not available

Royal Ulster Constabulary (Overtime)

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what overtime costs have been incurred each month during 2001 by the RUC dealing with public disorder.

Jane Kennedy: The table details the monthly overtime cost for the current year to 30 September (regular and full-time reserve). The Police Service of Northern Ireland cannot readily identify that part of the overtime costs which relates to police officers dealing with public disorder. It is intended to introduce activity analysis data collection but this will not be implemented until April 2002.
	In the absence of a database, the task of ascertaining definitive figures would represent a major undertaking and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		000 
		
			 Month Overtime 
		
		
			 April 3,531 
			 May 3,035 
			 June 4,232 
			 July 4,520 
			 August 7,809 
			 September 5,160 
			  
			 Total 28,287

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department has recorded in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; and on how many occasions in those years computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (A) within and (B) outside his Department.

Denis MacShane: The number of recorded cases is as follows:
	
		
			  2000 2001 
		
		
			 Hacking 2 3 
			 Fraud 0 0 
			 Theft 7 2 
		
	
	Of the five cases of computer hacking in 2000 and 2001, one was carried out by an insider and the remaining four by persons outside the Department.

Euro

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is being provided to British travellers about the effect of the introduction of euro notes and coins.

Peter Hain: Euro notes and coins will be introduced on 1 January 2002. They will replace national notes and coins in the 12 countries that participate in the single currency. We estimate that in 2002 British citizens will make 40 million visits to those countries. So I am today launching a leaflet that provides basic factual information for UK travellers on the transition to euro notes and coins in the relevant countries. Copies of the leaflet have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	The leaflet is a joint production with HMT and DTI. It will supplement the information already available on the FCO website www.fco.gov.uk.

San Francisco

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers from his Department have visited San Francisco since May 1997; and how many have stayed at the consul general's house.

Denis MacShane: Our records show that there have been no FCO ministerial visits to San Francisco since May 1997.

San Francisco

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Permanent Under- Secretary of his Department has visited San Francisco since his appointment.

Denis MacShane: Sir John Kerr has not visited San Francisco as Permanent Under-Secretary, but of course did so when Ambassador to the United States.

San Francisco

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many serving Prime Ministers have visited San Francisco since 1979.

Denis MacShane: Since 1979, there have been no prime ministerial visits to San Francisco.

San Francisco

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has undertaken with (a) the local chamber of commerce and (b) other business organisations in San Francisco with respect to the impact of the sale of the consul general's house there.

Denis MacShane: Issues relating to the sale of the current house have been covered in correspondence this year between FCO Ministers and officials with the British American Chamber of Commerce, Northern California, which represent many British business organisations in the San Francisco area.

San Francisco

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to sell the consul general's house in San Francisco.

Denis MacShane: The consul general, in conjunction with Estates Strategy Unit at the FCO, is seeking alternative property opportunities that will not only provide better value for money than the present house, but will also fully support the wider, especially commercial, objectives of the consulate general.

San Francisco

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has consulted the DTI on the forthcoming sale of the consul general's house in San Francisco.

Denis MacShane: Yes.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what stocks of (a) antiques, (b) paintings and (c) fine wines are held by his Department; if he will list such assets sold over the last three years together with the sale proceeds from such transactions; what plans he has to sell further such assets over the period of the current Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: The stocks of antiques, paintings and fine wines held by the Lord Chancellor's Department are as follows:
	Antiques: 484 items valued at 1,405,062,65
	Paintings: 78 items valued at 395,000
	Fine wines: nil.
	There have been no disposals in the last three years and no disposals are planned for the next three years. It is not the Department's policy to capitalise non-operational antiques such as paintings and works of art. Such items are not therefore included in our National Asset Register entry. The information given here is taken from a recent valuation exercise, undertaken both to assess the materiality of such items and for stewardship purposes.
	Operational antiques are included in the register under furniture and fittings.

Departmental Publications

Vincent Cable: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much his Department spent on information literature, advertising and campaign material in the financial years (a) 199596, (b) 199697, (c) 199798, (d) 199899 (e) 19992000 and (f) 200001; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the information has been collated.

Community Court Order Warrants

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which agency has responsibility for the enforcement of warrants following the breach of a community court order; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: According to the Greater London Magistrates Courts Authority and other magistrates courts committees, the numbers of community penalty breach warrants issued between 1 April 2001 and 31 August 2001, which were not executed or withdrawn before 28 September 2001, are:
	(a) London907
	(b) West Midlands494
	(c) Greater Manchester613.

Community Court Order Warrants

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many warrants for breach of a community court order issued after 1 April remain unexecuted in (a) the London probation area, (b) the West Midlands probation area and (c) the Greater Manchester probation area; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: Warrants are usually addressed to both police constables and persons authorised by the court to deal with enforcement.
	Lead responsibility for execution of community penalty breach warrants was transferred from the police to magistrates courts committees on 1 April 2001. Each magistrates courts committee decides its own enforcement strategy. Some committees have elected to employ civilian enforcement officers or approved enforcement agencies to execute warrants; others have contracted this work back to the local police force.

TREASURY

EU Prospectus Directive

John Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the Government's policy is on the proposed EC prospectus directive; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he has received about the proposed EC Prospectus Directive; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the total cost to business of the proposed EC Prospectus Directive; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2001, Official Report, column 798W, on the EC Prospectus Directive, if he will quantify the likely increase in the disclosure costs of small and medium sized companies.

Ruth Kelly: An effective single passport for issuers was identified as a priority for completion of the single European market in financial services at the Lisbon Council in spring 2000. The UK Government's policy is that the prospectus directive should achieve this goal; and that it meets the aim of reducing the cost of raising capital for EU companies, especially SMEs.
	The directive, as currently drafted, could lead to an increase in the disclosure costs of issuers, and an increase in the cost to UK businesses of accessing capital by issuing securities. However, negotiations are at an early stage, and there are a number of issues that are as yet unclear, such as the directive's relationship with other existing directives, and the way that its provisions will be used. As the negotiations continue, the likely impact of the directive will be kept under close review.
	HM Treasury has actively sought the views of interested parties, has received a significant number of submissions from the UK financial services industry, and is engaging with industry practitioners on an ongoing basis through round-table consultation meetings.

Rating Appeals

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps are being taken by the Valuation Office to reduce delays in rating appeals;
	(2)  what the average delay is in valuation officers considering rating appeals (a) in each Valuation Office area and (b) nationally;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the time taken before rating appeals are considered by the Valuation Office.

Ruth Kelly: So far during the current financial year, a total of 132,847 appeals against the 2000 rating lists have been settled and they took an average of 314 days to settle. The average for each group valuation office area is not readily available.
	Rating appeals received by the Valuation Office Agency are considered immediately and categorised accordingly. Where there is a question of hardship (including foot and mouth related appeals) they are given priority. Others are allocated to published programmes, whereby they are dealt with by category and chronology.
	The position is continually under review to ensure that appeals are considered as quickly as possible.

Financial Services Authority

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what action he took in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to assess whether the Financial Services Authority was in compliance with the service level agreement concluded on 18 December 1998;
	(2)  how many people in the Treasury are involved in supervising the service level agreement with the Financial Services Authority, dated 18 December 1998.

Ruth Kelly: Until the implementation of the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, interim arrangements have been in place. These are designed to create the benefits of the new regime as far as possible under existing legislation. Under these arrangements, the Treasury has contracted out to the FSA the prudential supervision of insurance companies.
	Staff in both the financial regulation industry and corporate services directorates are involved in the service level agreement. Formal quarterly meetings are held to discuss insurance issues. In addition, Treasury and FSA officials meet frequently, either with other colleagues, or bilaterally, to discuss a wide range of issues about the stability and competitiveness of insurance and other markets, and relevant regulation and legislation.

Golden Jubilee

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if her Majesty's Government plan to issue a gold sovereign of new design in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen.

Gordon Brown: Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that next year a design showing the Royal Arms within a wreath of laurel should appear on the reverse of the gold sovereign.
	The design is inspired by that on sovereigns struck during the first 50 years of the reign of Queen Victoria and for numismatists there will accordingly be a pleasing link between Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee of 1887 and next year's Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. The new design, whose use will be extended to half- sovereigns, double-sovereigns and five-pound pieces, will be adopted only for the Jubilee year, after which the regular design of St. George and the Dragon will be restored.
	It is expected that coins with the new design will be available for sale from early next year.

Treasury Supervision (Money Outlets)

Barbara Follett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to supervise the regulation of (a) bureaux de change, (b) cheque cashers and (c) money transmission agents.

Ruth Kelly: Regulations are today being laid before Parliament to implement a regulatory regime for bureaux de change, cheque cashers and money transmission agents as recommended in the June 2000 PIU report Recovering the Proceeds of Crime. The regime will come into force on 12 November.

Job Vacancies

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when, and for what reason, he suspended the publication of job vacancy statistics; and when he expects to resume publication of such statistics.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 5 November 2001
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 9 November 2001
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question relating to the publication of job vacancy statistics. (12656)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) issued a press release at 9.30am on 11 September 2001 announcing the deferral of Jobcentre vacancy statistics from 12 September 2001. This was due to discontinuities which arose from changes in the Employment Services's methods for recording job vacancies.
	'Employer Direct' is being gradually introduced across Great Britain to modernise and enhance the way the Employment Service deals with vacancies to provide a more flexible and convenient service for employers. It involves transferring the vacancy taking process from local Jobcentres to regional customer service centres. Research by the Employment Service shows that it has the following effects on the Jobcentre vacancy data from May 2001:
	A temporary reduction in the recorded level of outflows and placings owing to some delays in following up vacancies with employers associated with the introduction of the new arrangements.
	An increase in the recorded level of newly notified vacancies.
	Both the above effects lead to an increase in the recorded stock of unfilled vacancies.
	ONS and the Employment Service are continuing to monitor and review the data with the aim of resuming publication as soon as it is possible to produce consistent statistics.

Job Vacancies

David Miliband: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many job vacancies there are in (a) South Shields, (b) Tyne and Wear and (c) the north-east; how many there were 12 months ago; and what is the national vacancy rate per 1,000 of population.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Miliband, dated 9 November 2001
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking for the number of job vacancies in South Shields, Tyne and Wear and the North East 12 months ago; and the national vacancy rate per 1,000 of population. (13263)
	Statistics on Jobcentre vacancies are available up to April 2001. Later statistics have been deferred due to discontinuities which arose from changes in the Employment Service's methods for recording job vacancies.
	The table below shows the number of unfilled Jobcentre vacancies (not seasonally adjusted) for April 2000 and April 2001 in the South Shields and Tyne and Wear Jobcentre areas, the North East region and Great Britain.
	Jobcentre vacancies represent only a proportion of all vacancies in the economyjust those vacancies notified to the Employment Service. The proportion is likely to vary over time, across geographical areas and between different skills and occupations. Expression of such figures as a rate per 1000 population is therefore not appropriate.
	
		Unfilled Jobcentre vacancies
		
			 Jobcentres April 2000 April 2001 
		
		
			 South Shields 618 1,032 
			 Tyne and Wear 8,153 11,662 
			 North East Region 17,654 23,586 
			 Great Britain 332,511 362,504

Equitable Life

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on the future for Equitable Life Assurance of the society compromise due to be voted on; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: This is a matter for the board of Equitable Life and the members of the society.

Student Loans

Eric Illsley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future of student loans.

Andrew Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced on 4 October that she is leading a review of student funding. This will examine the appropriate balance between the contribution made by students, their families and the state to support our ambitions to widen access and participation in higher education.

Limited Companies

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances he will provide security for the debt of a company limited by guarantee.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the replies given by right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston (Mr. Hendrick) on 23 October 2001, Official Report, columns 19597W, and to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 671W.

European Crime Convention

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effect of the draft protocol to the 2000 convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters between the member states of the European Union (10076/01; Council) and UK banks; and for what reason Article 50 of the Schengen Convention is repealed thereby.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	This draft Protocol builds on the European Union (EU) Mutual Legal Assistance Convention 2000. It imposes obligations on member states to respond to requests from other member states for information on bank accounts in the context of criminal investigations. There is a further obligation to establish the ability to monitor transactions within a specified account or accounts. Consideration is taking place as to the practical implications of this draft instrument for the banks and others.
	Article 50 of the convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985 relates only to assistance in the investigation of fiscal and excise offences. It is therefore of narrower scope, and will be superseded by this instrument when it comes into force.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

International Sporting Events (Special Needs Funding)

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what sources of funding are available to enable young people with special educational needs to participate in international sporting events.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 26 October 2001
	At present, the main source of funding to athletes with a disability is provided by UK Sport through its World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) for elite athletes. Young people with special educational needs may be eligible for world class funding, provided they are named members of a national governing body's world class performance plan.
	Funding is available within each sport's WCPP award for athletes to compete in a programme of international sporting events. These events usually include World Championships, European Championships and any other international events considered to be an important competitive opportunity for the athlete.
	The athletes nominated on the WCPP receive individual support through their athlete personal awards. There are learning disability athletes included in two world class performance programmesswimming and athletics. At present there are five athletes in athletics and six in swimming with learning disabilities. These athletes receive APAs and have access to funding to cover the costs of attending major international competitions, agreed with the performance and technical directors of the sports, within an agreed programme of events for the individuals and the squad.
	As part of the world class funding initiatives, Sport England provides the world class start and potential programmes. These are designed to identify and nurture young athletes so they can receive the best possible training and services to enable them to achieve future success. The programmes aim to assist athletes with genuine hopes of success in the future.
	Both UK Sport and Sport England have prioritised paralympic competitors for world class funding. Therefore, funds for non-paralympic sports are limited and rely on the network of volunteers and charitable organisations that exist throughout the country.
	The Sports Aid Foundation gives awards of 500 to individual athletes nominated by national disability sports organisations who are of international standard although not included on the world class performance programme. The award is intended for domestic training costs but may be used for international travel events if applicable.
	Individual governing bodies of sport directly fund athletes and teams to take part in international events. For example, the Football Association funds the England learning disability team and covers costs associated with squad training and major competitions. UK Sport also provides core funding to UK National Disability Sport Organisations such as the UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disability.

National Lottery (Sales Licences)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many shops in England are licensed to sell lottery tickets; and how many of these have had a sales turnover in the last 12 months of less than 52,000;
	(2)  if she will prevent lottery licences having a minimum sales requirement included as a condition of those licences;
	(3)  if she will make it her policy to prevent retail lottery outlets being required to increase substantially their sales as a condition of renewal of their licences; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The terms of the contracts between national lottery retailer outlets and the National Lottery operator, Camelot Group plc, are a matter for Camelot.
	I understand from Camelot that 24,751 retailers have on-line lottery terminals, and a further 10,439 sell national lottery scratchcards only. Of those retailers with on-line lottery terminals, 1,936 had lottery turnover of less than 52,000 over the last 12 months.

Culture and Audiovisual Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the outcome was of the Culture and Audiovisual Council held in Brussels on 5 November; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State for the Arts represented the UK at the Culture and Audiovisual Council.
	The Commission presented a communication on the legal aspects of film and audiovisual works which clarified the application of state aid rules in the film and audiovisual sector, and proposed further studies on the legal deposit of audiovisual works, registration of films and a rights-holders database. The Commission also presented a communication on the application of rules on state aids to public service broadcasting which clarified what the Commission expects of member states.
	Resolutions were adopted on: encouraging the development of the EU audiovisual sector; the role of culture in a knowledge society, including the need to take advantage of new technologies to increase access to the EU's cultural heritage; a report on the exportation of cultural goods and the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from a member state; and the role of culture in the development of the European Union.
	During a public debate on the role of culture in European development the UK emphasised the importance of culture in promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and community cohesion, and reinforced the significant economic impact of the creative industries.

Public Sector Broadcasting

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Government will fulfil their obligations under the treaty of Amsterdam to define the role of public sector broadcasting.

Kim Howells: The treaty of Amsterdam does not impose an obligation to define the remit of public service broadcasters and the interpretative protocol introduced by the treaty makes it clear that such a definition is a matter for member states. In its recent communication on the application of state aid rules to public service broadcasting, the European Commission considers that it is necessary to establish an official definition of the public service remit. The Government believe that the existing broadcasting legislation and licensing system and, in the case of the BBC, the Corporation's Charter and Agreement, clearly set out the remit for United Kingdom public service broadcasters.

British Films

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what European Union funds are available for (a) the production and (b) the distribution of British-made films.

Kim Howells: The i2i Audiovisual Initiative will make funding of approximately 600 million euros available to the European audiovisual industry over the next few years. The initiative was launched by the European Commission, the European investment bank and the European investment fund in December 2000 and will support a wide range of activities, including production and distribution. Support will be in the form of loans for medium and long-term investments in infrastructure (such as studios); production of film packages and distribution; global loans to the banking sector specialising in audiovisual matters to fund small firms which create or use audiovisual technology and shareholdings in risk-capital funds specialising in the audiovisual sector.
	The EU's Media Plus programme runs from 2001 to 2005 and will provide funding of 400 million euros to the European audiovisual industry. At the outset of the programme just over 200 million euros was earmarked for distribution. Media Plus does not provide support for production but is aimed at supporting training, development, promotion and pilot projects, as well as distribution. The i2i Audiovisual Initiative has, in part, been developed to complement the Media Plus programme in respect of production.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Money Laundering

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of how many convictions there have been for money laundering in total across the EU, and in each individual member state, in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Ainsworth: The term money laundering refers to a number of different offences. Information taken from the Home Office court proceedings database showing the number of persons convicted for money laundering offences during the period 1991 to 2000 in England and Wales is given in table 1.
	Data for other European Union (EU) states are not collected regularly. The data in table 2 have been produced from a paper produced by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and was collected from the mutual evaluations of FATF members of which two rounds have occurred since 1991.
	
		Table 1: Number of offenders convicted at all courts for money laundering offences, by type of offence, England and Wales, 19912000(12)
		
			 Code Offence 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			  Drug money laundering offences 
			 93/49 S49 Drug Trafficking Act 194 (previously S14 Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 (15) (15) (15) 1 (15) (15) 4 (15) 12 5 
			 93/50 S50 Drug Trafficking Act 1994 (previously S24 Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986)(13) Assisting another person to retain the benefit of drug trafficking (17) (17) 4 4 3 2 11 9 9 16 
			 93/51 S51 Drug Trafficking Act 1994 (previously S23A Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 as inserted by S16 Criminal Justice Act 1993) (16) (16) (16) (15) (15) 3 13 7 9 5 
			  Acquisition, possession or use of other proceeds of drug trafficking   
			 93/52 S52 Drug Trafficking Act 1994. (16) (16) (16) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) 
			  Failure to disclose knowledge or suspicion of money laundering   
			 93/53 S53 Drug Trafficking Act 1994 (16) (16) (16) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) 
			  Disclosure of information likely to prejudice an investigation (tipping off)   
			  Total drug money laundering offences (15) (15) 4 5 3 5 28 16 30 26 
			   
			  Offence of laundering proceeds of other crime 
			 53/26 S93A Criminal Justice Act 1988(14) as inserted by S29 Criminal Justice Act 1993 (16) (16) (16) (15) (15) 2 10 4 4 9 
			  Assisting another to retain the benefit of criminal conduct   
			 53/27 S93B Criminal Justice Act 1988(14) as inserted by S30 Criminal Justice Act 1993 (16) (16) (16) (15) (15) 6 4 2 5 6 
			  Acquisition, possession or use of proceeds of criminal conduct   
			 53/28 S93C Criminal Justice Act 1988(14) as inserted by S31 Criminal Justice Act 1993 (16) (16) (16) (15) (15) (15) 1 4 (15) 9 
			  Concealing or transferring proceeds of criminal conduct   
			 53/29 S93D Criminal Justice Act 1988(14) as inserted by S32 Criminal Justice Act 1993 (16) (16) (16) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) 
			  Disclose of information likely to prejudice an investigation (tipping off)   
			  Total for offences of laundering proceeds of other crime (15) (15) (15) (15) (15) 8 15 10 9 24 
			   
			  Total for all offences (15) (15) 4 5 3 13 43 26 39 50 
		
	
	(12) Excludes any convictions in Staffordshire
	(13) Court Proceedings data prior to 1993 cannot separately identify offences under S24 Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 (since consolidated and replaced by S50 Drug Trafficking Act 1994) from other drug offences. For the years 1993, 1994 and 1995, a special exercise was undertaken to identify this specific offence. However as a 100 per cent. response from courts was not achieved 'estimates' for these three years were made.
	(14) Sections 93A to 93D Criminal Justice Act 1988 came into force in February 1994.
	(15) Nil return
	(16) Not applicable
	(17) Not available
	Note:
	All data are given on a principal offence basis
	
		Table 2: Number of convictions for money laundering offences, in certain EU countries
		
			 Country Year Convictions 
		
		
			 Belgium 199499 182 
			 Denmark 199499 88 
			 Germany 1994 16 
			  1995 15 
			  1996 30 
			 Ireland 199599 11 
			 Italy 1994  
			  1995 125  
			  1996  
		
	
	Source:
	Financial Action Task Force

Overstayers

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made under the regularisation scheme for overstayers; how many applicants have had their cases decided; and how many cases are (a) under consideration and (b) awaiting action.

Angela Eagle: A total of 17,120 applications were received for consideration under the regulations of overstayers scheme. Of these 858 applications have so far been decided. Work is under way to validate the status of cases currently under consideration, though early indications are that there are now 4,300 cases in action within the integrated casework directorate. The remaining 12,000 cases are awaiting action.

Overstayers

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many caseworkers in the integrated casework directorate are engaged in considering applications under the regularisation scheme for overstayers; and if he has set a target date for the completion of consideration of applications under the scheme.

Angela Eagle: A dedicated unit in integrated casework directorate (ICD) north, currently comprising a senior caseworker and seven caseworkers, has been trained to consider applications under the regularisation scheme for overstayers. The resources allocated will be monitored closely as details emerge of the complexity of these cases and the productivity of this team. A target date of April 2002 has been set for the identification and consideration of cases where leave to remain can be granted under existing policy concessions. During the next financial year (200203) more caseworkers and resources will be devoted to the consideration of the remaining cases. The target date for the consideration of all cases is April 2003.

Incitement to Religious Hatred

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place (a) for acts intended or likely to stir up racial hatred under sections 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 of the Public Order Act 1986 and (b) under the Race Relations Act 1976; how many convictions resulted; and what were the (i) minimum and (ii) maximum sentences imposed.

Angela Eagle: The available information, provided by the Attorney-General's Office, relates to England and Wales for the years 1988 to date and is contained in the table. This relates to the number of applications for consent to prosecute for each year and the number of convictions resulting from the prosecutions. The whole of Part III of the Public Order Act 1986 is covered in the table, therefore including section 23 in addition to those sections requested.
	The records relate to the year that the application for consent to prosecute was dealt with and so it is not possible to state with any certainty how many prosecutions resulted in convictions in any given year. Also, there are no centrally held records that can provide reliable information as to the minimum and maximum sentence imposed in any given year.
	The Race Relations Act 1976 no longer includes provision for prosecuting offences of incitement to racial hatred, this having been transferred to Part III of the Public Order Act 1986.
	
		Consent Applications and Prosecutions Since 1988 Under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986England and Wales
		
			 Year Number of Attorney-General consent applications (per defendant) Withdrawn Not granted Prosecuted Convicted (Not necessarily in the same year) 
		
		
			 1988 3  1 2 2 
			 1989 1   1 1 
			 1990 2   2 2 
			 1991 4  1 3 1 
			 1992 5  2 3 2 
			 1993 2   2 2 
			 1994 2   2 2 
			 1995 8 1  7 6 
			 1996 13 1  12 9 
			 1997 12  2 10 9 
			 1998 2 1  1 1 
			 1999 4   4 3 
			 2000 5   5 (18)2 
			 2001-to date 8   8 (19) 
		
	
	(18) Two results outstanding
	(19) Results awaited
	Source:
	Attorney-General's Office

Golden Jubilee Medal

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the conclusions of his review of his decision not to award the Golden Jubilee medal to the police; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
	The matter is under consideration and I hope to be in a position to make an announcement shortly.

Passports

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many newly issued passports were lost in the post in each of the last five years; how many were subsequently recovered; and how many duplicates were issued.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 6 November 2001
	The United Kingdom Passport Service only has information available for 1999 onwards on issued passports lost in the post. The figures for passports lost in the post and total passports issued are as follows:
	
		
			 Year  Lost passports Passports issued 
		
		
			 1999 2,359 5,134,172 
			 2000 3,851 5,495,704 
			 2001 (20)1,474 (20)4,890,941 
		
	
	(20) To September 2001
	Information on total recoveries of passports is currently not routinely collected.
	The figures for passports lost in the post are derived from reports of losses from members of the public and therefore all of these passports should have been replaced. There is an upward trend in the number of passports reported lost and this is of some concern to us.
	The new digital passport has enhanced security features. These features would make it extremely difficult for someone who is in possession of a stolen passport to alter the document for use in a false identity.

Correspondence

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters of 9 May and 12 July, from the hon. Member for Putney, with regard to his constituent Mr. Rachid Boujelouah (Ref. R349629).

Angela Eagle: holding answer 7 November 2001
	I wrote to my hon. Friend on 8 November 2001. I am sorry it has taken so long to reply.

Incitement to Religious Hatred

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the leaders of different faiths with whom he has consulted concerning the proposed law on incitement to religious hatred; and if he will place a copy of their responses in the Library.

Angela Eagle: I have had a number of discussions on this issue with leaders of different faith groups. However, the importance of acting rapidly in the context of the events of 11 September has meant that a formal consultation process could not take place. The following Questions should have appeared in the Official Report for 16 October 2001, Volume 372

Police Vehicles

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans he has to introduce central purchasing of police vehicles;
	(2)  what guidance he issues to police forces concerning the purchasing of UK-made police vehicles.

John Denham: holding answer 15 October 2001
	I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 20 July 2001, Official Report, column 648W.